Resurrection
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Monday, April 21st, 2025
I was going to do my 5th installment of my thoughts on Glynn Young’s Dancing Priest series but decided to hold off a day because of the subject matter in Book #4. Instead, I wanted to focus on what yesterday (Resurrection Sunday) meant. There are so many directions to go in but I thought I might just summarize some of my thoughts from yesterday’s message.
The crucifixion of Christ was supposed to be Satan’s final act of devastation and death to Jesus. He thought He had won. But He didn’t know the God who was in charge and the power He had! That God was not limited like mere men. Instead, through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ He showed Himself to be unequaled. He showed Himself to be powerful. He showed Himself to be uncontainable. Perhaps most important of all, He showed Himself to be our one true hope when all seemed hopeless.
The late theologian, J.I. Packer, wrote, “While there’s life there’s hope, we say, but the deeper truth is that only while there’s hope is there life.” Hope keeps us going. Take away hope and you take away a reason to keep plugging away. Where will we find that hope? Politics? Rhetoric spewed out by all sorts of people? Religion? The answer is No. No. And no. The only real answer is that hope is found only in Jesus, the Savior of the world, and His resurrection which, of course, we celebrated yesterday.
Sadly, we live in a hopeless and sadness-filled culture. There are so many who just give up and quit. They check out-mentally, socially, and tragically, permanently- because they have lost hope and meaning to life. That is why the resurrection of Christ from the dead, the greatest event in history, is so essential. It gives hope beyond the grave. It gives hope when all hope is lost. It gives hope when life says, “Let’s end this pain and misery.”
Did you know the first words of hope were not uttered in the New Testament? They were actually uttered in the Garden to Adam and Eve. God told the serpent the woman’s seed (Jesus) would crush the serpent’s head and all he would be able to do is strike his heel. (Gen. 3:15). There is a big difference between striking the head and striking the heel. When Jesus rose from the dead it was and still is the greatest event in history.
You can argue with this. I realize that. But let me leave you with a saying I learned long ago: “If you are right and I am wrong, I have lost nothing; but if I am right and you are wrong, you have lost everything.” I will leave that thought with you today.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, God's Plan, Hope, Hopelessness, Jesus, Opinion, Reflection, Resurrection
Wednesday, April 16th, 2025
Unknown people are often the ones we need to learn about the most and take lessons from.
For example, Katherine Wright. Chances are pretty good you may know someone by that name. But not this Katherine. Recently one of the men in the church gave a communion thought on Katherine. You may be more familiar with her brothers-Orville and Wilbur-who invented, built, and flew the first successful airplane in the early 1900s. Because of their prominence many, perhaps most, have never heard of Katherine. Yet in their successful endeavor of building a “flying machine,” Katherine was vital to their success. While they concentrated on the details that brought them success, Katherine was quietly behind the scenes essential to their success. You may be thinking, “But I’ve never heard of her!” Exactly! That’s my point. She kept their bicycle shop going (her brother’s source of income), left her teaching job to nurse Orville back to health after a plane crash, and managed the details of their growing fame.
Katherine is a perfect example of someone who knows their role and fulfills it. Up front or behind the scenes, it takes all kinds of people to do essential things. In this case helping her brothers reset travel. (Do you think they envisioned air travel today back in their early days? I think not). Anyway, Katherine chose her spot and filled it with grace and service. We have people like that today who do just that. For every up front people who likes/desires the limelight, there is someone behind the scenes doing the camera work, the script writing, the sound board, the live stream, fixing communion (in a church setting), teaching a kid’s class while the adults are meeting, and a myriad of other tasks. My wife is one of those people. Every week she makes me look like I know what I’m doing by typing and showing the Power Point during my sermons. She has been doing this for more than the 19 years we have been here. She knows me like a glove and even when I mess up, she covers me.
She is just like the ONE we celebrate and remember this week as we head toward Resurrection Sunday. This week is often called Holy Week because it is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. From His entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey to His crucifixion and resurrection one week later, His whole life was one of being a servant. He showed us how to a servant throughout His life; demonstrated it the night He washed the disciples’ feet; then willingly laid down His life on the cross. For all for us. We could ask for no greater example than Him.
Follow in His footsteps. Serve, even if it is in the shadows. “There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
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Tags: Christian Living, Humility, Jesus, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Resurrection, Serving
Monday, April 1st, 2024
Today is generally known as “Joker’s Day.” It is the day we “approve” of jokes played on other people. The more outrageous the better. April Fools Day is known as a day of nonsense, tricks, jokes, and a general “I-got-you” day. Ironic then that it follows the day after we celebrated the greatest day in history (and no, it is not the day the White House declared it to be). Psalm 14:1 says, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (NLT) The book of Proverbs is filled with references to fools. But let’s move away from that topic to one which is much more positive.
Yesterday was Resurrection Sunday. We had a super fine day as we joined together in one service at another venue. Even then we ran out of chairs. What a great problem to have! 🙂 During my sermon I asked the question: “What if the resurrection never did happen?” Well, the Apostle Paul gives 4 ramifications of that from I Corinthians:
- Our faith is useless. (Verse 17a). The Greek word for useless means “futile, empty, of no value.”
- We are still in our sins. (Verse 17b). Succinctly put: if Jesus is still in the tomb, His death cannot save us. He is no different than any other religious teacher.
- We have no hope of a future. (Verse 18). Without the resurrection a bright future is an empty promise.
- We should be pitied more than anyone. (Verse 19). All we do in this life is for nothing if all we have is this life.
But let’s turn those thoughts around and show what a difference the resurrection makes:
- Instead of our faith being useless, we can say our faith has meaning. Something we believe in is true.
- Instead of still being in our sins, we can say we have forgiveness. The resurrection makes sin forgiven a reality.
- Instead of having no hope for the future, we can know we will see our loved ones who died in Christ. Can there be anything more lonely or lost than no hope, of just being worm food?
- Instead of being pitied more than anyone, we can be certain of our own future. Knowing we have something to live for, to look forward to changed everything.
You may have heard something like this yesterday from your own pastor. But today is Monday, the day we begin to put it all to the test. Live today in the light of His resurrection.
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, God's Word, Jesus, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Resurrection, Scripture look
Tuesday, March 26th, 2024
I had someone say to me the other day, “Getting old s**ks.” (I can’t stand that word hence the astericks. However, it is a quote so…). While I hate the way he said it, I can’t totally disagree.
At age 71 I’m getting older. Well, so are you, but let’s think about this for a moment. As we age, lines develop on our face. We call them crow’s feet. Some develop “wisdom wrinkles” which become more prominent as one ages. Depending on your body fat, skin will hang and wiggle. Skin will get crepe-y. Bruises (blood) will show up in the arms and forearms or skin nicks will show up when you can’t even remember bumping or scraping them. Your stamina is not what it once was. For example, I used to ride 20-30 miles a day. If I do that today, I need a day or two between rides to recover. I might do 20 miles for 2-3 days in a row, but then I have to give myself a day or two off the bike.
Getting old is an adjustment, that’s for sure. That’s why I have issues with the “preacher” i.e. self-help guru who tries to tell me my best life is now. No, Joel, no it is not.
My best life is yet to come. I recently held the funeral service of a man whose last 2-3 years were spent fighting the effects of diabetes, a nasty bed sore caused by neglect of a rehab facility, the amputation of a leg at the knee, and a couple of strokes which affected his right hand strength and his communication (he could communicate but was slow in responding and putting sentences together). His best life was not now, laying in a bed. Not here. He is enjoying his best life NOW, living in the presence of the Savior he loved so much.
Do not look at your present or even your past life, as the pinnacle..as your best life. It’s not. For the follower of Jesus, the best is yet to come! That, by the way, is what the story of “Easter” is all about.
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Tags: Christian Living, Future life, God's Plan, Jesus, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Resurrection, Story
Thursday, December 21st, 2023
There are just sometimes you just couldn’t orchestrate something any better even if you tried. Know what I mean? Case in point: this morning.
I have an almost constant pattern in the morning. I seldom deviate from it. Other than the shower, etc I take every morning, I have what I call my Encounter Time (ET). Some call it their Quiet Time. During my ET, I use several different resources to read and meditate on, but the crux is my reading from the Bible. I am almost constantly reading from Psalms (usually 2 chapters a day, except 119); every other month the book of Proverbs (1 chapter/day = 31 days); and from the NT. This year I have read through the NT twice and am now on my 3rd time. This will obviously carry on into 2024. Today’s reading was from Psalm 39-40, Pr. 21, and Mark 15-16. There was some great stuff in Psalms and Proverbs today, but the real irony was in Mark. Mark 15-16 is about Jesus’ death and resurrection!!
This is Christmas…the birth of Jesus and I’m reading about the death and resurrection. The irony didn’t escape me. Birth. Death. Resurrection (Life). The story of His life and purpose. Then the words to a well-known Christmas song came to mind. Here is a snippet: “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity; Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel…Mild He lays His glory by, Born than man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give us second birth.”
The irony-no, the truth-does not escape me. Birth. Death. Life. They go together. For Jesus. For us. Or maybe I ought to say, “For Jesus. Because of Jesus for us.” The birth needs the death and resurrection to give meaning. The death and resurrection needs the birth to have a beginning. “Born to raise the sons of earth/Born to give them second birth/Hark the herald angels sing/Glory to the newborn King.”
Celebrate His birth with the future (His and yours) in mind.
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Tags: Christmas, Doctrine, God, God's Plan, God's Word, Jesus, Opinion, Reflection, Resurrection, Story, Truth
Monday, April 10th, 2023
We experienced yesterday what probably most churches in America experienced-a swell in attendance. It was good to see. Honestly, I used to “pick” at those who are called C & E Christians. That’s Christmas and Easter for those of you who may not know.
Not any more. I am glad just to see people. There are several reasons for that:
- With the advent and further use of live streaming, many who were there yesterday watch each week from home. It was good to see them, but I know they are “attending” by watching.
- There were some who were there because mom or dad invited them. Yeah for mom and dad! 🙂
- There were some who were there because a friend saw an opportunity to use the open door of a holiday.
- There were some who were there because some traumatic event has happened and they are trying to make sense of it all and are searching for answers.
- There were some who may have been there out of curiosity.
I love the last 4 especially because it is an opportunity to give them hope by talking about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. I may only get this one shot to share the love of Jesus with them.
Resurrection Sunday also gives another conundrum. What about next Sunday? Let’s shorten the time frame. What about today or tomorrow? Will we go back to life as usual or will we allow the truth, the life-changing experience of the resurrection to change the way we live and operate our daily lives? Christian writer, Sam Allberry wrote: “Many Christians, while believing in the resurrection and rehearsing that belief every Easter Sunday, effectively stick it back in the drawer for the rest of the year because they are at a loss of what to do with it.” (Quoted in Hope in Times of Stress by Timothy Keller- p.xxi)
That is a seriously important quote to consider. All the talk, all the sermons, all the banter about the Resurrection is meaningless if life is not different on the inside.
Take on the challenge to allow the truth of the Resurrection to change how you operate-with God and with people.
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Tags: Christian Living, Easter, Jesus, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Resurrection
Tuesday, October 6th, 2020
I believe if there is one thing which could change the course of our faith-derail it even-it would be the validity of the resurrection of Jesus. If someone could somehow prove it never happened everything falls apart. I just finished reading I Cor. 15 in One Faithful Life by John MacArthur. In his commentary he gives Paul’s 6 disastrous consequences if there were no resurrection. Here they are:
- Preaching Christ would be senseless. (v.14)
- Faith in Christ would be useless. (v.14)
- All the witnesses and preachers of the resurrection would be liars. (v.15)
- No one would be redeemed from sin. (v.17)
- All former believers would have perished. (v.18)
- Christians would be the most pitiable people on earth. (v.19)
As you can see quite a bit of weight lands on the resurrection. Quite a bit of truth is dependent on the resurrection. When you think about it, that explains why so much effort has been put in by skeptics to somehow disprove its validity.
And that is good news for us! We stand on truth. If the resurrection were not true they would not be trying so hard to find loopholes and use flimsy excuses. Standing on truth is a good place and solid place to plant our feet.
“Father, thank you for the resurrection. It is the hope of all mankind. It is the rock of all Christ-followers.”
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Tags: Bible/Scripture, God's Word, Jesus, Opinion, Resurrection, Scripture look, Truth Telling
Thursday, August 27th, 2020
Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill has always been an interesting one to me. You can find it in Acts 17: 16-34. Paul is in Athens, the religious center of Greece. In fact, as you walk with Paul and listen to him, it is easy to come to the conclusion that Athens was the home of virtually every god known to man. In 17:16 it says, “Paul’s…spirit was provoked as he saw the city was full of idols.” In verse 22 it says he begins his sermon with “I perceive in every way you are very religious.” I’d say those are dead giveaways! 🙂
As Paul reasoned with the people, the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were curious (they loved engaging with others for the purpose of learning and discourse), but some were hostile. Why? Because he preached Jesus and His resurrection. He didn’t “preach” health and wealth. He didn’t “preach” a glory cloud will fall. He didn’t “preach” God wants to bring a miracle to your life. No. He preached Jesus and His resurrection.
They wanted to hear more, but it was more of a defense of what he believed. The Areopagus was a court named for the hill on which it once met. His defense is interesting.
- He alludes to their multiple gods. They were “very religious.”
- He zeroes in on the altar To An Unknown God. They were “spiritual;” they believed in the supernatural. Sort of like many in our day. They believe in something; they just aren’t sure what or who.
- He teaches with purpose. Take note of it: The God who made the world (the one they classified as unknown); He doesn’t live in temples; He gives life, breath, and all things; He has made us all equal (one blood); He has put in all of us a need for Him and a desire to seek.
- He presents the appeal. Now is the time. God has overlooked our rebellion but no more.
Such a far cry from the mere pablum of our day. No hype. No promise of wealth. No “God wants His kingdom here now.” No “think better of yourself because you are worth it.” Just Jesus and our need for Him. Just Jesus and our need to repent. Just Jesus- and it was all cemented not by our agreement-but by His resurrection. And like today the response was mixed. Yes, as expected there was hostility. But that day Paul’s honesty in preaching brought some into the kingdom and raised the curiosity of others.
“Father, my mandate is to preach Jesus and Him crucified and resurrected. Help me not to waver from that mandate.”
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Tags: Choices, God's Word, Jesus, Leadership, Ministry, Opinion, Preaching, Resurrection, Salvation, Scripture look, Truth Telling, Worship
Thursday, July 9th, 2020
I’d like to continue with the thought from yesterday’s devotion (July 8). What to do about the risen Christ?
A number of theories (“proofs”) have been put forth concerning the empty tomb.
- Jesus just swooned on the cross. He passed out from all the torture; was put in the tomb; revived in a cold, damp tomb; then had the strength to push the stone away. I suspect somewhere in there He also had to over power the guards. Seriously? The more one thinks of that the more ridiculous it sounds.
- The ladies went to the wrong tomb. Does that sound as silly to you as it does to me, especially given the fact that both Matthew and Mark tell us they were there when they laid Jesus in the tomb AND they even prepared the body with spices and oils. (Luke 23)
There are other theories-just as silly- but I think one of the most incredulous was actually given during that time: the disciples came and stole the body. Matthew 29 records that lie. But what is absolutely “insane” is how it went down:
- The guards report the body is gone.
- The guards were bribed by the religious leaders to tell the lie of the stolen body.
- The guards accept the bribe and spread the lie.
- The religious leaders promise protection (if Pilate should hear word of it) to the guards.
One big question: if the guards were asleep, how did they know the disciples stole the body? As Biff says to George McFly (Back to the Future 1), “Hello! Think McFly! Think!” Think people. Think! Does not that lousy excuse for the reason sound more more unbelievable as you think about it? And here is another question: what about those soldiers? To live with that lie over your head and to know you betrayed your army? To be black-balled in the eyes of your fellow soldiers? No thanks.
Seems to me it takes more “faith” to believe a lie than to believe the truth that Jesus rose from the dead.
“Father, the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead piles up, especially when one considers how ridiculous the theories sound. I state again how I will stake all I have on the resurrected Christ.”
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Tags: Choices, Faith/Feelings, God's Word, Jesus, Opinion, Questions, Resurrection, Scripture look, Story
Wednesday, July 8th, 2020
One of the truths of Scripture which is a non-negotiable is the physical resurrection of Christ from the dead. One of the heresies which has never seemed to go away is Jesus did not physically raise from the dead but his spirit did.
To believe the latter you must deny the former. This is not one of those either/or propositions. This truth came home to me as I read the accounts of that Sunday morning. The Sabbath was over and 3 ladies (Mary Magdalene; Mary, His mother; and Salome) made their way to the tomb. They discussed how they were going to move the stone but, of course, it was not an issue when they got there. “He is not here; He is risen.” James and John find an empty tomb. But the best exchange IMHO is His exchange with Mary Magdalene in John 20. Probably driven back to the tomb by her grief, she encountered Jesus. Thinking He was the gardener, Mary asked where they laid Him. You gotta wonder why she didn’t recognize Jesus. I mean, she had been a follower of His for much of His ministry. She was one of the women who took care of His and the disciples physical needs (food and shelter). But we aren’t told why she didn’t. Speculation: her tears clouded her eyes (that does happen you know? I’m married and have two daughters). 🙂 It could have been because the last time was ugly and He was beyond recognition. And maybe it was a supernatural thing (like the two on the road to Emmaus). That really isn’t important. But when she did recognize Him? WOW!! She hung onto Him. The word is clung to Him. The last thing she wanted to do is to let Him go again. But keep in mind you don’t cling to ghosts or apparitions; figments of your imagination; or dreams. She clung to Jesus. But she had to let go.
I’d like to reference the holding on and letting go, but my point today is the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is unquestionable. It cannot be seen as unimportant. Christianity literally rises and falls on its surety. No bodily resurrection = no faith. Bodily resurrection = solid rock.
“Father, Jesus rose. He is alive. Not a ghost or a figment of the imagination. Without doubt one of, if not THE most essential truths of all. To this truth I cling.”
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Tags: Choices, God's Word, Jesus, Opinion, Resurrection, Salvation, Truth
