Easter 2014

You could get rid of the chocolate bunnies.

Easter egg hunts could go away.

We could all decide not to go for pictures with the fuzzy rabbit in the mall concourse.

The resurrection cakes, eggs, candy ideas could all be deleted from Pinterest.

Your church could cancel its drama/concert/sermon series/face painting/bouncy house extravaganza this morning.

In fact it could cancel church next week, too.

And it wouldn't reduce the power of the Resurrection at all.

Not at all.

It stands alone in its power to change, heal, forgive and restore and that's whether we celebrate it or not.

That's what makes Easter so amazing.

Sunday Morning Song #8

Happy Easter!

I've mentioned Aunt Liz a couple of times on the blog (here and here).  She was a huge part of my childhood and gave me a love for a lot of good things.

Richard Smallwood had an album called Textures in the mid-80's that Aunt Liz and Mom would play over and over.  I think the second song on side B was where you could find a song about the crucifixion called "Calvary" that was a rendition of a turn-of-the-century spiritual.

I couldn't find the original version online, but I found a live version that has the same words (and I don't know how they make this into eight minutes):

Calvary, Calvary
Surely He died on Calvary

Can't you hear the hammer ringing?
Surely He died on Calvary

Can't you hear Him calling His Father?
Surely He died on Calvary

---

Joyful, grief-stricken, passionate, mournful, jubilant.

"Calvary" by Richard Smallwood

Sunday Morning Song #7

I posted a song by this band way back in '08 (which I still love).  On this special saturday edition of the sunday morning song, Third Day gets a little more love from the blog.

One special part of the Easter celebrations that churches have every year is the taking of communion.  I think I'm just now starting to understand why it's called that.  If you've shared in it, you might understand too, at least to some degree.  I'm not gonna get into all the Bible doctrine and stuff here; just enjoy the song.

"Communion" by Third Day

Flashback Friday #8

I love this Easter post more now than the day I wrote it.

---

Saturday, April 03, 2010

If yesterday was Good Friday and tomorrow is Easter Sunday what do they call today?

Maybe "I'm-totally-confused-about-what-God-is-doing Saturday"?

'Cause you know that's how those eleven guys felt.

Anyways, I've spent the last week and a half to two weeks giving you my opinions. That's what they were: opinions. Or I guess you could call them positions.

Opinions are those things that we in the USA are so good at blabbing freely. We argue our position on a topic or event that's completely out of our realm of influence and know full well that it won't change a thing. In fact, a lot of the stuff we throw our opinions out on are things that, in the course of history, come and go and life goes on.

This is different than belief. What I believe defines who I am. If I say I believe it, popularity and politics don't really matter. I guess that means I should be willing to admit those things we never say. I don't believe in any political party. I don't believe in some particular legislation. I don't believe in the government. I don't believe in the economy. I don't believe in medicine. I don't even believe in myself a lot of times.

I believe Jesus came to Earth to die in our place and make our wrongs right. I believe He rose from the dead to give us a chance to experience this redemption personally. I believe in Calvary. I believe in Easter.

Sunday Morning Song #5

Ohhhh, it's my favorite song.  I don't know if this is for Christmas or Easter or all-purpose, but this five-minute story of the life of Jesus is so beautifully done it had me pushing repeat on my Discman.  Seems like the perfect Sunday Morning Song to me.

"You Are the Living Word" by Fred Hammond & Radical for Christ

Too sick to post

I usually post something on Easter. Not this time. I've been too sick to do anything for two days. We'll see what happens in the next few days...

The First Easter

On the first Easter, there weren't crowds of people driving up in their cars wearing their nicest clothes. There wasn't overflow parking or grandstands set up to witness the event. No reporters were there. No flashbulbs, no special bulletins, no rush to press.

From what I see in the Bible, there was only a small group of women that were at the tomb that morning. The group probably consisted of three or four. Mary Magdalene, Salome, Joanna, Mary the mother of James. They simply went to the tomb to anoint the body of their friend, very similar to the way we leave flowers at the graves of the ones we love.

When they found that the tomb was open and empty, they rushed back into town to tell the eleven apostles the news. I don't know how many they found right away, but apparently only Peter and John ran out to the tomb to check. That brings us to a half-dozen people.

Paul tells us, later on in the New Testament, that Jesus was seen by "500 brethren" after rising from the dead. That's enough to make an argument in court, but that's still nothing for the front page.

Jesus lived his life telling about future rejection, betrayal and execution. Along with this, He told of His resurrection. His followers misunderstood Him, ignored Him and spent a bunch of time trying to change His mind. And after He died, they definitely weren't looking for a miracle comeback.

After He rose from the dead, and told them about His plans for them to continue His work, they still misunderstood His intentions. They wanted him to lead a political overthrow.

This was the result of Jesus' time on Earth and His three years of effort in ministry. I don't know if they had a word for this in the Ancient Greek language, but in English we call it failure.

The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus "for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame". How much shame, hurt and frustration there must have been in going through this process, but Christ had the ability to see beyond that to something in the future.

That's why we celebrate now. That's why we work to understand today.

I smile on Easter Sunday when I see people on their way to worship. Working to understand. Not allowing His work to go unheralded. I know that it would never happen if He didn't--while standing among the six--see the millions of us so many years ago.

And it's for more than just this Sunday.

my 2011 Easter post

I sat down to write a post on my thoughts about Easter this morning.  The internet was down.  So, my window of time has passed and now I may wait until later today or tomorrow.  The thought is still in my head.  Just need to type it out.

Seeya soon, my blog friends.

One of the worst parts of the Easter story

There's one part of the story Easter weekend that always gets me. That's when Jesus was laughed at.

I know that among all the betrayal, beating and blood this seems so minimal. Maybe the reason it always seems to get to me is because it's one of the few things that Jesus went through that day that I can relate to. Have you ever been laughed at? It hurts.

To be mocked and made a joke in front of people is one of the worst things I've ever experienced. But some of those relatively few times, I probably--at least in some way--brought it on myself. Jesus didn't. He was kind, peaceful, loving. All of those things that don't deserve scorn. But He endured it and forgave.

Who have I neglected to forgive? How about you?

If yesterday was Good Friday and tomorrow is Easter Sunday what do they call today?

Maybe "I'm-totally-confused-about-what-God-is-doing Saturday"?

'Cause you know that's how those eleven guys felt.

Anyways, I've spent the last week and a half to two weeks giving you my opinions. That's what they were: opinions. Or I guess you could call them positions.

Opinions are those things that we in the USA are so good at blabbing freely. We argue our position on a topic or event that's completely out of our realm of influence and know full well that it won't change a thing. In fact, a lot of the stuff we throw our opinions out on are things that, in the course of history, come and go and life goes on.

This is different than belief. What I believe defines who I am. If I say I believe it, popularity and politics don't really matter. I guess that means I should be willing to admit those things we never say. I don't believe in any political party. I don't believe in some particular legislation. I don't believe in the government. I don't believe in the economy. I don't believe in medicine. I don't even believe in myself a lot of times.

I believe Jesus came to Earth to die in our place and make our wrongs right. I believe He rose from the dead to give us a chance to experience this redemption personally. I believe in Calvary. I believe in Easter.

Happy Easter!?

OK. I know I'm really late on this, but last week we were on vacation. So, I thought since we're going to have our family Easter dinner tomorrow, I should do my annual Easter post a week late as well.

Just today I read this from Paul's letter to the Romans:

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus. (15.1-5, ESV)

I wish I knew if I belong in the "strong" category or the "weak" category. Probably both, depending on which day (or minute) you talk to me.

Endurance and encouragement: two things we could all use. Albert Barnes said that Christ "threw Himself" in front of all our mistakes, failures, the things we did wrong. Paul says that this should give us hope. Not just the fact that we read this, but that God will send us someone strong to raise us up.

I'm thankful to all the people that have been that "someone" in my life. I plan on being that to someone else.

How Easter Feels

I'll never forget the feeling that I felt standing in the narrow hallway of the Oregon City Church of the Nazarene on the day of my wedding. I was there watching through the window of the side door with my Pastor, Gary Gleason, and his son and my Best Man, Stan, as the music started and the parents were seated. Before I had an extra second to get prepared, Pastor--in his Gleason-like manner--said, "Let's go!" and led us through the door.

The thoughts in my head were racing as I watched Pastor Gleason pass mine and Stan's appointed place at the foot of the steps. He ascended to the platform, where he would soon address the crowd. Stan and I remained stock still, waiting for our cue, and trying to act natural. The anxiety grew and questions began to fill my mind. "Am I ready for this?" "Do I really have what it takes to make this work?" "I don't have much more time. I wonder..."

Mid-thought, my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Kara, made it to the front of the aisle. As tradition goes, my Best Man left my side to escort her, the Matron of Honor, up the steps and onto the platform. As I watched my last bit of moral support disappear behind me, my nerves hit an all-time high. Was I ready for this? I tried--and failed--to look like I was in control.

Then, as I looked down the aisle and through the back doors of the sanctuary, anxiety gave way to anticipation. All that I was worried about disappeared into all that I had been waiting for. Just within sight, at the far end of the room stood my ivory-decked bride. What had I been so worried about? All the stress, work, dreaming, planning, living was put into focus as I became fixed on the true object.

I think that maybe that is just how it felt on that dark night, two thousand years ago. All of the grief, the agony, and the despair was resting on Jesus' shoulders. The fulfillment of the plan was depending on Him, and yet we can see His opposing emotions as He cried, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew 26:39)

Somewhere in the middle of all the anxiety and dread, Christ looked through the portals of time and saw the true object: you. As His focus changed, He became something more than just another great man in the pages of a history book. The apostle Paul would describe it like this: "Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross." We were that joy.

And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior's blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
- Charles Wesley