"What's So Good About Good Friday"

 “GOOD FRIDAY”

Have you ever thought what’s so good about Good Friday?   Any takers?

There are two faces to Good Friday.  So then let us take a closer look so we can grasp the full experience.

Where is the Good in Good Friday?  It was because of this terrible tragedy that you and I are given this option.  We are given the opportunity to begin to live all over again with a new vision.   This option for the believers would be coined “the way of the redeemed”.   On that Day, through what seemed to be a tragedy, Jesus releases the greatest power on earth.  A power that can change your life and bring you into a closer relationship with your Heavenly Parent.  The power of unconditional love, forgiveness, and acceptance, the power of GRACE.  You cannot earn it, you can only accept it for it truly is a gift from God, no strings attached.  In accepting your gift of Grace, Jesus will exchanged your filthy rags of guilt and shame for His cloak of righteousness.    This is the way in which Jesus will present you to your Heavenly Parent on your day of your resurrection.   All the things that bound you in shame, quilt will be gone.  This will truly be a day of celebration not judgement.   That is the GOOD NEWS of the Cross Folks.  It is through the acceptance of Jesus offer that we are

transformed and made ready to follow in His Way.   Saved by grace presented to our Creator our true Parent in a cloak of righteousness.     Sing:  “Softly and Tenderly” 

It was a tragedy for Mary, for his brothers, for the disciples and many others who were following him.  It was a day of great darkness on the hill of Golgotha.   BUT there was to be a new dawn.   It was Friday but Sunday, Easter Sunday is coming folks and it will be a day of new beginnings out of what seemed to be a disaster.

In the wisdom teachings of Solomon we hear:  The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment will ever touch them.  In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died and their departure was thought to be a disaster and their going from us to be their destruction, but this is not so for they are at peace.

Therefore the day of crucifixion, our day of tragedy has two faces, because two days later it turns into a day to celebrate a day of a new life, of new beginnings.    Not just for Jesus but for all those who believed on Him.  No matter how you view it, out of tragedy suffering and pain comes new life.  In our weakness Gods power is always manifested.   Most often we don’t see it at the time of our pain and suffering but it will come.  Ask any mother what happens after her water brakes and the pain that follows.  During the last moments of her pregnancy her pain turns into the joy of seeing new birth take place as she first lays eyes on and touches her newly born child.  New birth can only take place when something comes to its end, when the tears dry up and old pain fades away, there is a new day.   That is the way of nature and that is the way of the CROSS, as hard as it may be for us to accept this truth during our time of pain or suffering it is truth. Not one thing in life that is good comes without some sacrifice, without some form of pain or suffering.  Ironic as it may sound tragedy has two sides to it, one  bad and one good, two lives, one of suffering and one of relief.  There will always be difficult events in life that have to be endured where suffering, pain hardship, or disappointment find their roots.   Can you relate to this, a relationship ends?   Your life has been going along fine but all of sudden a young child, a spouse, a beloved Mom or Dad is take from you through an accident, illness or natural causes.   You have just seen the Doctor and he gives you news you do not want to hear.  Helplessness, fear and emptiness fill your very being.  These are the same feelings Jesus felt and expressed in the Garden of Gethsemane  and while hanging on the cross:  “why do I have to endure this suffering Father?   Is there not another way”?    No matter how much Jesus must endure, no matter how much you have to face, for the believer there is always an Easter Dawn.  It’s Friday folks, but SUNDAYS A - COMING.   Here is where you can turn a the darkness of your Friday into new light, knowing that something Good will come out of every tragedy.  Somehow, some way, God will bring us new life.  Trust in Jesus, Trust in God.  Let us pray.  

"When The Cheering Stops"

March 29 2015 Psalm Sunday

Some years ago a book was written with the title "When The Cheering Stopped." It was the story of President Woodrow Wilson and the events leading up to and following WWI. When that war was over Wilson became an international hero. There was a great spirit of optimism abroad, and people actually believed that this would be the war to end all wars and the world would be made safe for democracy.   On his first visit to Paris after the war Wilson was greeted by cheering mobs.   He was actually more popular than their own heroes.  Sound like someone we know today right?  The same thing was true in England and Italy.    They said that President Wilson was coming and they knew that everything would be all right.    We look for a messiah but what do we do when we find one?
The cheering lasted about a year. Then it gradually began to stop. It didn’t take long for people to become more concerned with their own agendas than they were about a lasting peace.   At home, Woodrow Wilson ran into opposition he was not re-elected and the President's health began to fail.  Once heralded as the new world Messiah, he ended his days with a broken confused spirit.
It's a sad story, but one that is not altogether unfamiliar to us.  Ever felt that you were the lamb on the road to slaughter or that your friends had hung you out to dry.  The ultimate reward for someone who tries to bring a message of hope and unity to a people who have been living in chaos, pain and suffering as their way of existing.  I’m not kidding folks there are people who identify, and get meaning from the amount of chaos, pain or suffering in their daily lives. I’m not just talking about physical pain and suffering but also mental, caused by the way we think.    Try and take that pain away and they get hostile, because it is part of who they are, part of their identity.   The concepts of unconditional love, unity, peace of mind, everything for the good of all, why these ideals becomes the enemy!!  It’s not as if people in general don’t long for these concepts, for we all do.  But, they will uproot and expose our pain, suffering and chaos in such a way that people will resist the changes these concepts bring preventing them from hearing the saving words that Jesus offers us .  It happened that way to Jesus.  When he emerged on the public scene he was an overnight sensation.   The masses lined the streets as he came into town.   On Palm Sunday leafy palm branches were spread before him and there were shouts of Hosanna.   In shouting Hosanna they were in effect saying "Save us now" Jesus, Save us from ourselves.   Great crowds came to hear him preach.  They began to build expectation of a changed world.   But the cheering, even for him, did not last for long.   There came a point when the tide began to turn against him too.  It was so subtle at first, not many noticed.    People still came to see him, but the old excitement was missing, and the crowds were not as large as they had been.  His critics now began to publicly attack him, even the closes of his 12 began to turn away and question his motives.   They became afraid to speak out, for fear of the masses, as they began to perceive that the fickle public was turning on him.  Soon the opposition began to snowball.  When they discovered that they could not discredit his moral character, they began to take more desperate measures.  Before it was all over a tidal wave welled up that brought Jesus to his knees under the weight of a cross.    In order to guard ourselves from this scenario reoccurring in the life of the church today, our attitudes must become more like Christ’s.  Jesus was humble, willing to give up his human rights for the sake of another.   We must take on the attitude of a servant, serving out of love for God and others, not out of guilt, fear, or obligation as many are now doing.   Remembering that we can choose our attitude.  We can approach life expecting that we be served, looking for the respect we deserve for our efforts, or we can look for opportunities to serve others, and in so gaining there respect from a humble heart.    Jesus wants us to give us the best their is in life.   His adversary wants us to want for the best in life.       Let us Pray.   

                         "Why Are They Trying To Take Away Our Lord Jesus"

                                                      Click and listen!

"God Loves The World"

“Humour is Medicinal”

How many reading today use email regularly?   Anyone ever make the slip up of sending mail to the wrong person by mistake.  It can be embarrassing!!!   Listen to this story.  

A man went on a vacation to Florida from their home in Alaska. He went ahead and his wife is to come the next day.   In his hurry to send her an encouraging e-mail he makes a slip up and sends it to the wrong person.   The preacher’s wife has the same first name, she gets the mail and her husband had just passed away the week before. The message reads: "Having fun, but it sure is hot down here. I can’t wait for your arrival here soon."

Readings Ephesians 2: 1-10 Psalm 107 John 3: 14-21

We who were once dead in our trespasses - are now alive together in Christ.  If that statement is or becomes your reality, then your life is a full life - a life of light rather than darkness, - a life of both seriousness and of laughter; of joy, and well being.   A life in which death does not have the last word folks.   

Humour,   I mean humour that is clean and joyful - is part of any full life -   Humour is medicinal – it lifts the spirit and lightens the heart.   Centuries ago Solomon said - "A merry heart is good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones".  He also wrote, "He that is of a merry heart has a continual feast"

Today I want to share this serious gospel message with a mixture of truth and humour.  God never leaves us - or gives up on us - no matter what we do God makes provision for the self-centeredness, pride and ego in our lives.  Yes, there is a plan for dealing with our shortcomings, it’s called consequences and we have all experienced them.  God hears the cries of his people and in love - answers them.  Comfort and meaning can be found in the reading from the gospel this morning. God cares, did you hear it, God, not only gave us His son but “GOD LOVES THE WOLRD.”  God reaches out in forgiveness to heal those who turn to the Son, those who believe in him, those who change from their old ways of dealing with life.  Those who turn a new leaf, pick up their cross and follow Him.  

The story is told of three men who showed up at the gates of heaven one day.  To their surprise there was a guard at the gate.  They immediately asked what was going on - they thought Saint Peter would be there to meet them. "Heaven has a new policy", replied the guard.  "Before entering heaven everyone must pass a spelling test." "OK", said the first man.  "If that is what God wants, that is what I will give him." "Spell the word GOD", the guard asked him.  "G O D" replied the man. The gate opened and in he went.

The second man stepped forward, a smile on his face.  The guard glanced at his bright sunny face, and asked if he was ready.  "Most certainly", replied the man, "I only hope that you will not be too hard on me." "No problem", replied the guard.  Spell GOD”

"G O D", replied the man and the gate opened and in he went.  The third man watched all this with increasing irritation.  "This is ridiculous", he said to the guard.  "Who ever heard of such silliness?   As soon as I get in, I'm going to register a complaint!!"  "I'm sorry", said the guard, "but the rules are the rules.  Are you ready to spell your word?" Piece of Cake”  “Very well", said the guard, "spell Expealidocious!!”   Consequences, we are sometimes our own worst enemy Folks.   2 Peter 2:16  The scriptures tells us, it took a miracle to get a donkey or ass to speak.  Now it literally takes a miracle keep one quiet.  

Jesus came to give life, and give it abundantly - now - and eternity.  In return - he simply asks that we follow him whole heartedly, that we turn our lives over to his care completely, holding nothing back.    A song that comes to mind is “Softly and Tenderly”

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world may be saved through him.  Those who believe in him, will live forever - in God's kingdom.    None of us knows just what that kingdom will really be like - but we do know that in it there will be not more war or suffering, no tears, no more torment, we are guaranteed nothing that is unpleasant. 

 A suburban lady who was not only disagreeable, but a bit of snob, was chatting over the fence with a neighbor.  "We are going to be living in a better neighborhood soon".   Well we are too, replied her neighbor.   Oh, said the snob, your moving?  "No", said the neighbor, "We're staying right here."

In God’s Kingdom we will not be afflicted by those who work evil, nor will we have to deal with those who walk in darkness.  But in the meantime we do have to deal with them.  A good way of doing so is by not taking their insults too seriously, by turning the other cheek when we can, and speaking the truth in love to all whom we meet. 

Perhaps we can take a lesson from this story.    The Caption of a sailing vessel was known to rule with a firm but fair hand.  One day he was approached by a disgruntled revengeful seaman who said "I have a special message from the admiral, Captain.  It is directed to you personally."   Oh said the Caption "Read it to me", the sailor read, "Of all the blundering, stupid, idiotic morons, you take the cake."  The Captain looked straight into the eyes of the seaman and said, "Ha a  coded message A, have it de-coded at once sailor. When dealing with difficult people it’s always best to remember that a disgruntled person is usually beating up themselves first.

Which reminds me of the atheist who asked the preacher "do you honestly believe that Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of whale?"   The preacher replied, "I don't know sir, but when I get to heaven I will ask him."  "But suppose he is isn't in heaven?",   the atheist responded.  The preacher though for a moment, you might be right!!!! Then you’ll get to ask him!" 

Remember as well this saying when you are being annoyed by someone who attacks your faith “the man who tries to prove that there is no hell, generally has a personal reason for doing so”. 

But all in all folks remember this - for the believer there is no such thing as hell, because Jesus has given the keys to the kingdom of heaven for those who believe in him.   He has opened the gates - and he invites us in, and all he asks of us is, that we believe - and follow him.  Trusts his words, and relying upon his love, a love which comes to us from your heavenly parent and which gives light and life to all who turn toward it.  By grace you are saved through faith - and this is not your own doing, it is your personal gift from God.   Amen.   Enjoy the Song Amazing Grace to a different tune.  

"I Was Blind But Now I See"

                                  “I WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE”

Have you ever had the experience of being in the presence of something you were looking for but couldn’t see it.  How did you feel after you realized it was right there in front of you? 

March 15, 2015 Readings Ephesians 5: 8-14, Psalm 23 John 9: 1-41

Since the beginning of time, humans have been trying to blame or qualify the presence of evil in our world with someone’s sin, be it past or the present.  In Genesis 3 of the bible, we have heard it said that sin entered the world through temptation, was it the snake, or was it act of participating by Eve or both.  Then of course there’s Adam, how does Adam fit into the scenario.  Shouldn’t he too take some responsibility for evil entering into the world?  In some religious circles today I might be considered balmiest for suggesting that God might have even set the these unsuspecting humans up for their fall.   Now think about this for a moment folks.   It wasn’t until God said “YOU MUST NOT” eat of the tree in the middle of the garden, could it be this moment, when all the trouble actually began.  Now I ask you, what generally happens if you tell one of your children, “YOU MUST NOT” do something.  I’m almost sure he or she will attempt to find a way they can.  Even if it gets them into trouble, right!   It seems strange that God would all of sudden bring to their attention a tree in the middle of the garden.   Surely Adam and Eve must have walked by this tree hundreds of time before and apparently without any special interest in it.   In fact the fruit on that tree apparently wasn’t even attractive, until God said “YOU MUST NOT”.  Do you see what I am trying to illustrate here.  I am trying to illustrate that out attempts to assign blame or responsibility for sin in our world whether it be the original or a present sin becomes difficult if not impossible, especially if I am trying to assign sin or blame to anyone other myself.   Let us remember that the Lenten season is a time for us to look inward to discover the truth about ourselves, it’s not about your neighbor folks.  In our reading “the man born blind” from John’s Gospel this morning the disciples ask Jesus this question, “Rabbi who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind”.   In other words his disciples believed that this man blindness was punishment for a committed sin, it could have been the sin of an ancestor, a parent or some sin he possibly committed himself.  Jesus’ answer must have shocked them and challenged this belief and the religious teaching of the time, because sin was at the core of their teaching from Genesis 3, how sin entered into our lives.  Many people today still believe that people who do bad things are punished and get what they deserve because they are connected to some sin in the past.   

What is Jesus’ reply,   “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him”?   Was it not the apostle Paul telling us that it was in his weakness that God power would be manifested?

In other words if you become preoccupied trying to figure out your circumstances, why me Lord.   If you  become preoccupied looking for someone to blame for where, who or what is happing in your life, you will never clearly see the Works of God  which are not confined by sin or circumstances, because this is the place where God’s works are revealed.   This very moment Jesus is offering to heal the brokenness of your world and your life, to heal our losses, or help us transcend our personal circumstances.   I believe Jesus was trying to show his disciples and us that this kind of preoccupation with others and their sins can delay or stunt, yes, even prevent his works from being revealed in me so I will begin to recognize who Jesus really is.    John goes on in the story to show us how this preoccupation with sin,  religion, religious doctrine, ritual , personal predigest, self preservation and fear can impair people, no matter how educated they may be, from seeing or even wanting to see the truth about the world around them and THE TRUTH ABOUT ONESELF.   Here in lies the first lesson in today’s story.   Now, want to hear the rest of the story.

The community fails to recognize blind man.  This is a small community and this man was blind from birth, lets face it folks, everyone would know him.   Why would they say we think he is the man unless they were afraid?  The blind mans religion and the religious authorities who would be responsible for his training failed him, instead of rejoicing in celebration of his healing they accused him of lying, lying about what, lying that he cannot see, lying that a man somehow gave him his sight back, and then to top it off they accuse him of becoming a disciple of this despised prophet the one they call Jesus.   Even the blind mans parents out of the fear of being banned from the synagogue failed him, saying “don’t ask us, ask him he is of age, he can speak for himself”.   The only trust worthy

figures in this story are the blind man and Jesus.   The man insists on telling the whole truth about himself, even in the face of threats, abandonment and expulsion from his religion and the synagogue, he sticks to the truth.    “I was blind but now I see.”  Again and Again and again he witnesses to that truth and the healing powers of the man he thinks is a prophet sent by God.    Jesus transforms this young blind man, to reveal the works of God in him for all who have the eyes to see, yet none of them see.   Now I ask you, who is really blind here?  They are blind!!  They are blind to the truth.   The question that comes to mind for us here today is this.  How much truth are we willing to share with God about ourselves in order to receive our sight and healing.   

I don’t know if you noticed or not but no one except the blind man and Jesus are experiencing the great joy of truth and sight.  And because he never gave in the young man finally realizes who Jesus is in verses 35 to 38 when he accepts Jesus and begins to worship him.  Here in lies the second and final lesson of the story.  Who is Jesus for you?    Let us pray.      

"The Two Tablets

“THE TWO TABLETS”

How many listening today actually take one day out of the week for complete rest?  A day where you recharge your batteries for the coming week? Well here is the GOOD NEWS for today. God actually commands that we take a day off from our busy week to observe a Sabbath.  The Sabbath according to scripture is the 7^th day of the week.  Now we could argue all day long about which day we should observe for the Sabbath while all the time never really taking advantage of it.  I think the latter is the most important thing to be thinking about.  Taking a day to offer worship and reflection on our creation and our creator. 

March 8, 2015 Readings:  Exodus 20: 1-17 Psalm 19, John 2: 13-22

If we take a closer look at the Law of Moses developed from the Ten Commandments you may notice some internal logic.   I think of the Commandments as being on two tablets. The first tablet is all about giving reverence to our one and only true parent, the creator of us all.  For instance the first and foremost commandment is that we serve only one God.    I cannot help but notice that the writer uses the word worship, we are to WORSHIP only one God.   What the saying: “If God is your co-pilot may I suggest you exchange seats.  It only makes good sense folks, God is the only one who knows where you will end up.  A good question for us here might be, “is there anything I place first in my life before God?”  That leads us into the next commandment on this tablet.  We are forbidden to turn anyone or anything into an idle of worship.   Unfortunately for many folk, it is easy to make the mistake of thinking that your love for family, parents, spouse, or children comes first, then comes God.  It is very easy to begin to see our material world with its gold and glitter as that which deserves our first and up most attention.  Even if we are fully aware that doing this only feeds our EGO, and not our compassionate heart.  Here we need to be reminded that God is our true parents, our creator and God’s love for us goes way beyond any love we can ever expect to receive here through things, people, or even our earthly family.  This sets the tone for what I would call good ethics as commanded in this next commandment.  We are not to use the Holy name with disrespect.  You know the outrageous use of potty mouth language today is a good example of how we have misused the gift of speech and language.  We are all created in the image of God which I believe, is love, then we should not use any name that represents that love wrongfully. In fact I believe that when we degrade, or treat someone with disrespect through our words or actions we curse our Creator.  Here it comes folks, the GOOD NEWS we talked about earlier, “YOUR DAY OFF”.   The next commandment is to keep one day during the week for your Sabbath.  Again if we are only arguing about which day the Sabbath fall on and we are not taking advantage of it, then it seems to me to be a fools days.  Each and every one of us needs a day off, to smell the roses, to take a check on where we are, where we are going and what I want the rest of my day to be.  That day off was not meant to be given to Hockey, or sports.   What’s the saying, notice I’ve changed it a little “All work and no DAY OFF makes Jack a dell boy.”  Now I don’t know about you but I often feel like a JACK.  Don’t feel guilty for observing your Sabbath, take in a retreat, go to church, the argument about the day is not as important as you taking the time out.  In ministry many of us often feel guilty if they are not seen as being busy.  Even before I went into the ministry, my family background instilled some of that guilt in me.  You know the saying “Idle hands are the devils workshop”.  Some of the old religion really wasn’t good theology at all, I think many use RELIGION then and you can still see it being used today as behavior modification.   Some religions are taking it to the extreme.

 Now comes what I consider as the second tablet.  This set of laws or commandments are meant for self and neighbor.   Can you begin to see the connection Jesus makes with the GREAT commandment?  It combines these two tablets into one Law.  We hear it in Luke 10:26-28 (NIV}  ²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”

The First commandment on the second tablet asks us to give respect to our temporal earthy parents.  Notice I said temporal for we are only given to our earthly family for a short period of time folks.   Even if you last 90 years, think of 10’s of trillions of years before you were borne and the 10’s of trillions of year there will be after you are dead, your time here on earth is just a flicker.   Even if you only lasted for few days or moments in the womb, it still just a flicker, how come the same?     Honoring father and mother is probably one of the hardest pills to swallow especially if our earthy father or mother has not properly cared for us.   In cases of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse the word hear needs to be pitied.  I am taking some liberty here and may get criticised for it but when we offer pity in place of honor we do no disrespect or degrade a father or mother.  To pity someone is to offer feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others.  

The last of this second tablet commandments are self- explanatory.  They involve our moral, ethical, and responsibility towards self and towards our neighbor.  You shall not murder, covet, steal or bear false witness again your neighbor.  {That by the way includes Facebook and Twitter}.   There is one loop hole for many religions who follow the Old Testament and have not yet heard or accepted the Good News of the Gospels.  It can be found in the commandment not to murder.  Murder in all aspects of law requires permutation.  The interpretation here is I have a right to protect me, my family or my religion and if I kill to do so, it is not considered by some of the Old Testament followers as murder.   It is for them an acceptable form of self-defence.   As twisted as this interpretation may seem to those of us who follow the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, they feel God will not judge them for these acts of violence.  Because we are all Children of God and because Jesus has instructed us, we must pray for our enemies and those who persecute us.  We cannot judge, yet we be judged sayth the Lord.  So then we can pray for revelations and an awakening for all who do not know our Lord Jesus and His way.    Let us pray.          

     

"What did Jesus mean: "Pick up Your Cross"

                                       “Pick Up Your Cross and Follow Me"

Couple of Questions to get us thinking this morning.  When you hear these words what do they mean to you, “Pick up Your Cross and Follow Me”, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? If you could give up just one of the things that is weighting you down, or is holding you back from living a full life, what would that one thing be? 

Note:  for those who want to read the passages for today hover your curser over the blue print and the passage will be made visible. 

March 1, 2015 readings: Romans 4: 13-25, Psalm 22:  Mark 8; 31-38

The Easter Season for the Christian community begins on Ash Wednesday each year.  At the Ash Wednesday service we took time to reflect upon our commitment to Jesus and his way.  During the service we all came forward to receive the mark of the Ash.  Ashes as we know make great fertilizer to promote new growth in the spring of the year.  The ash also represents for us the dust of the earth from whence we came and to where we will return.  Then we moved to the communion table to once again share with Jesus as we took nourishment for the journey through bread and wine.  Then we moved to the baptismal font.  As we dipped our hand into the bless water we were reminded of our commitment to serve, to following and profess our faith in Jesus.  At the end of the service I offered you a challenge to those who came.  For the next 40 days instead of giving up something for lent as is the custom of our tradition, I suggested you consider specifically doing one kind deed or gesture for someone each day, not just to someone you like, but to include someone you do not like.  I then suggested you mark it on your calendar as your daily reminder.   For those who missed the service, you could join with us by starting the difficult challenge today.   I say difficult because, many good church going folk have trouble when it comes to sticking with a faith commitment.  It’s not easy folks, it will take work.   

In the first Sunday of lent we talked about taking an honest look at our commitment to following Jesus. We talked about our personal understanding of, and the symbolism surrounding the cross and were presented with some ideas to set us on a path for our personal journey to the cross.”  It is now the second Sunday in Lent and we are being asked to consider picking up our own personal Cross to prepare you for the journey.  Easter is all about preparation, preparation for your journey to the Cross.  Just as our Islamic friends are committed to make their own personal journey to Mecca at least once in their life time, so we too should make our personal journey to the cross at least once before we pass into the next life.     

 In the bulletin this week I have placed an insert with the picture of an empty cross.  {If you are reading this blog, may I suggest you draw a cross on a half sheet of paper}.  This will be your personal cross for the days and weeks leading up to Easter Sunday.   Think of it as a place of surrender, a way to prepare yourself for your resurrection on Easter Sunday morning.  Easter Sunday is not just for Jesus, it is also about our own spiritual journey and “OUR” resurrection.   Something new is supposed to happen to us on Easter Sunday folks and it isn’t the Easter bunny.   On Easter Sunday morning we get a second change to begin a new resurrected life in Him once again.    Here is the challenge:  Each day with a pen, write down one thing on your cross that you struggle with in your walk with Christ.  For example:   It could be your impatience, maybe you struggle with jealous feelings, worry, fear, are you prone to anger, feeling of worthlessness, do you have old hurts, old sins that keep cropping up in your life causing you to feel poorly towards yourself or towards others.  These are the things that hold you in bondage, keeping you from the resurrected life you seek.   We all have darkness in our lives that need to be surrendered, literally put to death.  Write them down on your Cross.  Do this until Good Friday.  Then on Easter Sunday morning I would like you to bring in your cross folded and taped.  This will be part of your offering for that morning.  These will be collected only to be burnt after the service.  The ironic thing here is that, as simple as these challenges sound, many will find them too difficult to commit to and will not do them.  For those of us who will a blessing will come.

For those of you who are reading this sermon on the blog and would like to get in on my challenges, please do.    Nothing pleases God more than being committed to action.

The Romans, which would have been Marks original audience knew what taking up your cross meant.  It meant suffering, fear and death.  It meant humiliation by publically having to carry your own instrument of death on your day of execution and it was a sign of submissiveness to the Roman authority.   Mark would use this ugly suffering image of carrying a cross to illustrate the ultimate submission required in order to be a follower of Jesus.  See your challenge through to the end folks.  This is not to say that Mark or Jesus was against pleasure, nor was it a requirement to seek pain needlessly as many Christians over the centuries have.   What the writer was and is still saying, is that it takes courage, trust, and commitment to follow Christ, especially when the work is difficult, when the future look bleak or the going gets tough.   Mark is also saying that you should be willing to lose your life for the sake of the Gospel because there is no life like it.   Paul is also stressing here that there is nothing worth gaining more in this life, than your relationship with Christ.  Don’t let the illusions of the world hold you any longer.

There is a real nugget to be found here folks, if you can see it.   My understanding of the Gospel is that Salvation is not all about being saved for a Cosmic Heaven in an afterlife.    It seems to me that salvation cannot be complete without being saved from “YOURSELF”  that self-centred egotistical, self-righteous self.   Mark 8: 35.  Those who seek to save themselves will lose themselves.   Jesus is asking you to surrender to Him your-self, literally the self in you with all that burdens your soul, give me those filthy rags you have collected around yourself, rags that keep you held in bondage and I will not only give you rest, I will give you the peace that passes all understanding, you will eat with joy at the table of your enemies, and you will love, with a love that never fails.   Choose to go it alone and you have chosen fear and unbelief, and you will receive.  Choose faith in God, believe in Me, Jesus says and you will receive, how come the same?  Folks, you cannot escape the consequences of your choices.  Fear bigots Fear, Jealously bigots jealously, anger bigots anger, violence bigots violence and the list goes on.  But on the other hand, Trust bigots trust, gratitude bigots gratitude, thankfulness bigots thankfulness, compassion, bigots compassion and the list goes on.    Believe me, you will receive according to the choices you make in life.  “Choose Me and my way” sayth the Lord, and I will exchange those filthy rags and your sinful human nature for my cloak of righteousness, my spiritual nature and when your time comes, I will present you to my Father covered in all my glory.   As you continue on your journey to the cross on Easter Sunday let us begin to make those good choices that will resurrect in us our new life in Him.  Let us pray.