April 1, 2018

Just Believe

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

– Luke 24:9-11

They didn’t believe the women. The tomb was empty. Jesus was alive! And they didn’t believe Good News.

Isn’t faith a funny thing? We believe what we can see, we step forward on the path we know, we reach toward what is certain. But a risen Christ?  Who could believe such a thing?

These men had traveled with Jesus for three years. They’d heard His words yet failed to understand. How could they believe in something, in someone, they couldn’t see?

Yet that’s what we ask of unbelievers every day. We offer hope and a better way and they reject what they can’t see. Are we any different? We pray and go through the motions yet expect it all to depend on us. Miracles happen to other people. Maybe. But certainly not to us. For us. No. We can’t believe in that.

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” – John 20:24-25

Are we any different? We claim a faith we don’t live. We want proof. We want to see Him in our midst, to know He is with us. Do we really want Him or do we want what He can give us? Are we looking to Him only for blessings or is it Jesus we truly seek?

We are part of the crowd that welcomed Jesus on His triumphant return to Jerusalem. Yet we are also part of the crowd that abandoned Him as He hung on the cross. We didn’t understand it was all for us. We couldn’t comprehend a love that great, that pure, that perfect. So we walked away, angry and resentful, over what we didn’t get, what He didn’t do.

When life is good and it seems as though Jesus blessed us again and again, we are happy to follow Him. We love the mountaintop. We rejoice in Good News. We proclaim God’s goodness. We are happy, content, arrogant. Because while we tell the world that “God is good” and “We are so blessed” what we really mean is that life is going our way. We have made a way and Jesus has allowed it.

It all changes with the diagnosis. The job loss, the heartbreak, the betrayal, all rip apart what we believed. We either draw closer to the life source or pull away, angry at what He has allowed. We deserve better. We know that deep inside. We are bitter. We no longer believe.

Maybe we never really believed in the first place. Maybe our belief was centered on ourselves and our own abilities. Maybe it was all for our glory rather than His. Maybe, just maybe, we were secretly taking credit for the mountaintop.

He beckons us still.

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” – John 20:27

Believe. Can we believe when life turns dark and we don’t see the way? Can we believe when everything we thought we knew lies shattered at our feet? Can we believe when we don’t see Jesus, can we hold on to hope when we don’t see the way?

Today is Easter. We celebrate the resurrection. We proclaim He is alive. We place flowers on the cross and we joyfully celebrate Jesus. It is easy to see Him when we’re surrounded by the goodness of Easter.

The true test comes when we leave the celebration and begin the journey. Do we hold tight to the Resurrection when rocks cause us to stumble and fall? Can we proclaim the Risen Lord when life gets hard and we can’t seem to find Him in our midst? Can we still believe when the path isn’t of our choosing and our shattered hearts can’t see the way?

Easter isn’t just a day. It’s hope that walked out of a tomb and proclaimed life for all who would believe. Do you see Him? Do you really see Him? Hold tight to that. Jesus is alive! And because He lives, we can walk confidently into the unknown.

March 28, 2016

Easter Is More Than One Day

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” -- John 20:19-21

It is the day after Easter. Now what? Is this Monday just another day? Or has our Risen Lord changed you?

Jesus’ followers had watched Him die on a cross. They had seen the body for themselves. They were afraid the same would happen to them. They were afraid death was just around the corner.

And then Jesus appeared and everything changed -- again. Just as Jesus had changed their lives when He called them to follow Him the first time, His reappearance after death was beyond amazing. How could it be? He was dead, wasn’t He? But He wasn’t dead because He was here, before them. They saw the wounds. He was alive. Jesus was alive!

And that changed everything.

These people who cowered in fear became bold in their faith. All the disciples except for John would die a martyr’s death, as would others. It didn’t matter. Jesus had defeated death! That meant dying would bring them home to their Lord. It was worth any cost.

What is your faith worth to you? What would you be willing to sacrifice for Jesus? Sadly, most of us really aren’t willing to sacrifice anything. What would you be willing to do? How far are you willing to go to truly be like Jesus?

People will learn about Jesus through us. We can tell them the gospel story -- certainly that’s a good thing -- but they will truly “hear” the story by watching how we live. Do you consider that as you live the days of your life?

Do you put people down because they are poor, snidely remarking that they should “get a job,” without ever knowing their story? Do you look down on someone because of their skin color, their faith or the neighborhood where they live? Do you use foul language at other drivers? Do you get impatient when you have to wait your turn in line?

Our attitudes reflect our hearts. Does your heart reflect Jesus? Has the resurrection changed you? Or do you go through your days as though nothing has changed?

Easter isn’t meant to be lived on only one day of the year. Remember that today and in all the days to come.

March 27, 2016

Hope Rises Amidst Sorrow

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” -- John 20:15-17

Yesterday during the time when one day becomes the next, a life flight helicopter headed out to do what first responders do. They arrived at an accident scene, loaded a critically injured man on board, and lifted off. The helicopter crashed about ½ mile from the accident scene. All on board were killed.

Young lives gone in the seconds it takes for an aircraft to fall to the ground. I pray they all knew Jesus. I pray that in their grief, the families and friends of these four know with certainty that this heart-wrenching goodbye isn’t forever.

That’s what Jesus did for us. He defeated death so that all who know Him will have eternal life. On this Easter morning, hope has arrived. When we thought all was lost, hope spoke to our hearts. Jesus’ resurrection means that while our time here is temporary, our lives with Him are eternal.

Not long ago a man lamented his son’s lack of faith. The younger man doesn’t believe in Jesus and scoffs at the notion of needing a Savior. He doesn’t need to keep putting this off, the man said. He needs to know where he’s going when he dies.

I couldn’t speak for a moment. This man has been a Christian most of his life. I couldn’t stay silent. Well, I told him, your son may not know where he’s going but you do. He’s going to hell. Only those who believe in Jesus, who accept His gift of salvation, who believe in His resurrection, are going to heaven. Your son isn’t living in a neutral zone. He’s walking on a path to hell.

The man was shocked and couldn’t seem to find words. The truth is not always pretty. I wonder if we really stopped and considered that reality if we would be more open to presenting the gospel to the unsaved? We talk about choices -- and God did give us free will to make those choices -- but isn’t that just an excuse to not push the issue with an unbeliever?

Those four people on that helicopter never expected to die yesterday. The first was fortunate to survive a bad car wreck, only to die in a helicopter crash. The others -- a pilot, a nurse and a medic -- were doing what first responders do. They got a call and they went, in the middle of a rainy night, because someone else needed them.

We all need Jesus. We all need the hope this morning brings. Don’t wait to have that conversation with someone you care, someone who doesn’t share your hope. Tomorrow truly may never come.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

What Are Your Dreams?

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” -- John 20:29

What are your dreams? Are they all about the seemingly impossible? Or are they more goals than dreams? Maybe you want something with all your heart, but you just can’t see it happening.

I can’t imagine how Jesus’ followers felt when He died on that cross. Though He had tried to explain to them what would happen, honestly, they didn’t have a clue. How could they? Even now, all these years later, I marvel at the sacrifice, the pain and suffering, that Jesus endured for me.

Their dreams died on that cross. Or so they thought. Their leader was dead. Their friend was gone. What do you do when everything you’ve ever worked for is suddenly, and tragically, taken away? How do you even begin to rebuild your life when everything you’d planned for your future is gone?

The disciples believed Jesus but they didn’t understand. At least not until He returned. Because of Jesus, we know that this life isn’t the end. As believers, we know that heaven awaits. It’s not a dream. It’s a goal. A future. A promise.

We often give up our dreams before we even get started. We live in defeat because the world, or maybe past mistakes, are still dictating to us what we can achieve. We forget the power of the cross as we try to live under the power of ourselves. And fail. Again and again.

Jesus didn’t come to lead us to defeat. He came to lead us to victory. He came in love because God is love. I know. It’s impossible for us to truly understand how great is the love that He has for us. But He does. He loves us. No matter what. No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done. Nothing can change His love for us.

So here we are. The suffering of the cross is now a memory. Jesus stands before us, offering us eternal life. We are to go forward and make new disciples. We are to love others, including our enemies. We are to do good to those who harm us. We are to care for widows and orphans. We are to show others that we belong to Him by how we live our lives.

Not in defeat. Not in shame for a past we cannot change. Not focused on regrets and sorrow. But with our heads high and our eyes wide open as we boldly reach for our dreams. Those same dreams we thought were out of our reach until we realized they were planted deep in our souls by the very one who loved us enough to send His Son to die for us.

What are your dreams? What has God called you to do?

Monday, April 9, 2012

Now What?

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” -- John 20:21-22

Did everyone enjoy their Easter Sunday? It was a great day, wasn’t it? We had standing room only attendance at the service I attend. Lots of new dresses and new faces. It was a wondrous day of joy and celebration. And good food. We can’t forget the food.

But today is Monday. We’re back at work or school. Life continues much as it did before. Except that it shouldn’t. Because nothing is the same. The tomb is empty. Our sins forgiven. Grace reigns. And we can never, ever live as we did before.

Look around you. What do you see? Who do you see? Because Jesus called us to care for those around us, to be Him in this darkened world. It’s impossible to do that without really seeing those around us. Not just the “pretty” people. Not just the wealthy. Jesus saw the hurting and the broken. He healed the sick and welcomed the outcast.

That doesn’t fit into our picture of Easter morning and the empty tomb. That pretty picture is for us and for those whom we love. We don’t consider sharing it with the least, the dirty, the shamed, the failure. Yet those are the people Jesus welcomed.

I am blessed with the church family I now call my own. One friend speaks of attending a church where a woman with young children was too ashamed to attended services on Easter Sunday. Her reason? She couldn’t afford new dresses for her little girls and she knew they would be teased and looked down on by others. How incredibly sad. Ever sadder? It still happens in some churches.

Do they not get the point? It’s not about how you dress, it’s about your heart. I have a friend, a dear man who is hurting in ways he refuses to acknowledge. Bitterness is growing inside. He rarely attends church anymore but he’s full of criticism and condemnation for those who do. His main point of contention? How others dress when they enter God’s house.

Jesus gave His very life for those who had nothing and no one. How can we turn our eyes away from those who hurt the most? And yet we do it every day when we fail to see those who are most in need. We cast Jesus aside, forgetting what His life and death really meant, when we refuse to change our words and actions to reflect His.

Today is Monday. Just another day -- until we remember the message of the cross and that empty tomb.

Friday, April 6, 2012

A Woman and An Outcast

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. -- John 20:1

Of course she did. Where else would Mary Magdalene have been but at the tomb to care for the body of the man who had cared for her? Because people respond when we reach out to them, especially when they are rejected by others.

Let’s not forget who Mary Magdalene was. Before she followed Christ, she was a desperate woman. Jesus drove seven demons from her body. The demons could have presented themselves as what we now call schizophrenia. Others might have seen her as mentally unstable. They might have feared her. She was no doubt an outcast.

Jesus saw past all of that. He saw the woman in need and He healed her. She wasn’t likely to abandon such a man. Indeed, she was at the cross when He died. And she was there that morning to care for Him.

Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb, and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. -- John 20:10-12

When Mary saw the empty tomb, she immediately sought Peter and John. They, too, viewed the empty tomb. But while the disciples left, Mary stayed. And she wept. Because the body of the man who had given her new life was gone and she didn’t know what to do.

She didn’t understand. Nobody understood at that point that Jesus had risen from the dead. How could she? Though Jesus had tried to tell His followers what would come, they couldn’t comprehend what He meant. Living on this side of Calvary, it is difficult to understand how hard this would be to grasp.

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” -- John 20:18

And she did. Of course she did. Whatever Jesus wanted, Mary would do. She owed Him that much. She loved Him that much.

Jesus loved those others had cast aside. He empowered those others looked down on. Mary was an outcast and a woman, a double problem in the minds of many religious leaders of that time. But not to Jesus. To Him, she was worthy to be the first to see Him after He was resurrected. He trusted her to spread the word of His resurrection.

She didn’t let Him down. What about you? What has Jesus trusted you to do today? Don’t let Him down. Step forward boldly, in great faith. Spread the Good News. He is Risen!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Go Ahead And Ask

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

-- John 20:27

Poor Thomas. He does get a bad rap. All these years later and he’s still known as “doubting Thomas.” We don’t remember that he later preached the gospel fearlessly, traveling even as far as India. And we forget that Thomas died a martyr’s death as he continued to tell others about Jesus.

We remember his doubts even as we attempt to deny our own. It’s like questioning God about anything is somehow just wrong. We’re afraid to test our faith that way. We’re afraid of what we might hear. We tread carefully lest we rock the foundation we’ve come to depend on.

Why do we think God can’t take the tough questions? Do we think He’ll disown us if we dare to ask “Why?”. We can look again to the Bible for our answers. Thomas said he wouldn’t believe Jesus was alive “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side.” Jesus offered to let Thomas do just that. Pastor Meghan pointed out that Thomas never did. His words at seeing Jesus were, “My Lord and my God!” But he never needed to feel the scars.

Pastor Meghan also noted that Jesus never chastised Thomas for wanting proof that Jesus lived. He embraced Thomas’ questions and doubts, offering Himself as proof. So why do we think God would reject us if we questioned Him?

Asking questions -- especially the tough ones -- actually illustrates belief. You don’t question what you deny. You simply deny it. Questions reveal a hunger to know God on a much deeper level, Pastor Meghan pointed out. God wants us to know Him. Really know Him. So He welcomes our questions and, yes, our doubts.

So go ahead and ask God what you really want to know. Just remember to listen to what He has to say.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Resurrection Sunday

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” -- John 20:15a

I’ve always loved the fact that after His Resurrection Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene. A woman. Jesus had driven seven demons from her and she, along with other women and the disciples, gave up everything to follow Him. It was a different time and culture. Women didn’t get much recognition. But Jesus saw Mary just like He sees you and me.

Mark tells us that when the Sabbath was over Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they go and anoint Jesus’ body. Except the stone had been rolled away from the tomb and there was no body.

Mary was distraught. She ran to tell Peter and John. The men ran to the tomb to see for themselves. John tells us that he outran Peter and got there first. That competitive spirit even in this. They didn’t understand what had happened, though John tells us he saw and believed. Still, both men left and went back to their houses. I guess they needed to think it through.

Mary stayed and wept. And Jesus came to her. Where she was.

Jesus told her to go to the disciples, and tell them the news. And off she went. Obediently. Of course, Jesus would give a woman the task of spreading the word that He had risen. There was no time to think it through and make a plan. There was work to be done. Jesus trusted Mary to do her part.

Today we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior. It has nothing to do with colored eggs and plush bunnies. Nor does it have anything to do with bright colored dresses or a table laden with food. We forget that sometimes. We get so caught up in the festivities that we miss the joy of seeing Jesus and the promise that He gave to all who believe.

Most people know today as Easter Sunday. A better name would be Resurrection Sunday. The day Jesus first appeared after His death on the cross. Living proof of God’s promise. That is what we joyously celebrate on this most Holy of days.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Jesus is the Light in the Darkness

"Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance." -- John 20:1

A small fact that gets overlooked in the Easter story is worth discussing. It's that phrase "while it was still dark" that we some how read past. In all our glorious Easter mornings we forget that Jesus actually rose in the night.

I read the Easter devotional in the Upper Room and the writer pointed this out. Funny. I've read that passage so many times and never really noticed that fact before. I mentioned it at church. I wasn't alone.

It seems so silly now. We think of the sunrise as the Son rising up and defeating death. It's a wonderful picture. We schedule our sunrise services and celebrate Him. Except Jesus is the Light and the Light rises from the darkness.

Yes, Jesus is in the light with us. We thank Him for all the good we have, for all the blessings He has bestowed on us. But think about it. We are most aware of Jesus in the darkest of times. When we are most vulnerable, most alone, most scared, we reach out in the darkness that surrounds us and there He is. He is the light that reaches out to us and brings us through the darkness.

Of course, Jesus rose in the darkness before the brilliant Easter sunrise.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

He Is Alive!

"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" -- John 20:15

Hope rose again today. There's something that is so beautiful about Easter morning. We remember that the tomb was empty. Jesus rose. He lives. He walks with us each and every day. As Pastor Gary said this morning, Easter reminds us that we don't have to fear death. Jesus conquered it.

We are reminded that we have hope, when there seems to be no hope. No matter how far we've fallen, no matter whom we've lost or where we're at, He gives us hope. He reaches out His hand and lifts us up. All we ever have to do is choose to believe in Him and all He has done for us. Hope lives eternal because He lives in us.

He loves us. It sounds so simple but how can dying on a cross be simple? God gave His only Son to die for my sins, for your sins. How can we ever understand that kind of love? As humans we are anything but selfless. Yet we received a selfless love that goes beyond anything we can ever understand.

Believers will one day live forever because Jesus conquered death. The amazement was truly revealed that Easter morning to Mary Magdalene. He trusted her to tell His disciples the good news of His resurrection. Beth Moore once commented that, of course, Jesus trusted a woman to tell everyone. I always chuckle but it's true. He did and she did.

Victory over death is the real lesson of Easter morning. It is hope and love all wrapped into a beautiful thing called eternity. Thank you Jesus that you died and rose again for me.