Christian Fight Club

Yeah, yeah, I know – the first rule of fight club is…

Still, here we are.

For those readers who have never see and know absolutely nothing about Fight Club, it’s a movie about an underground fighting organization. Think of illegal dog fights only with humans. There are no rules – just do what you can to beat the other guy.

That’s the kind of world we live in. There is something within us that compels us to be better than the other guy. Often it matters less HOW we play the game – only that we win the game.

And that brings us to the word of the day: GREATEST

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Now who is the greatest? This was the argument the disciples were having one fine day. I always imagine Peter started off the conversation something like this…

46 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” 49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.”

C’mon, Jesus, you’re not being much fun. We want to talk about greatness and you keep harping on humility. Whoever is least is great? What kind of talk is that? No one in this world strives for leastness (I’m pretty sure I invented a new word – which is pretty great).

But do you get what Jesus is saying? Our world pushes us to pursue the best. Sports, business, school…for our entire lives we are groomed to desire greatness. How many different Hall of Fames do we have? Each sport has one. Rock ‘n Roll has one. Each segment of society has its own version. We annually look forward to crowning the world champion in our favorite sport. Humility has become a completely foreign concept to us, altogether.

HUMILITY HAS BECOME A COMPLETELY FOREIGN CONCEPT TO US. (did you say it with me?)

Yet this is the attitude Jesus calls us to embrace.

Ironically, the Bible DOES talk about those who believe in God being conquerors and victors. But here’s the thing – it’s never about winning under our own strength and ability. It’s about recognizing our weakness and limitations and relying on God to see us through. It’s not about our greatness – it’s about GOD’s greatness.

We still need to maintain a humble attitude. It’s hard, I know. Especially when we’re really good at something.

How about it? Will you embrace humility in order to take care of others? Are you willing to be weak so that God can be strong? Are you willing to set aside your greatness in order to magnify God’s?

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Victorious.” It’s not about what WE can do. It’s about what GOD can do (and has done).

We face the trials this world will wage
We pray for strength to stand in faith
Through it all our God remains…

God is the victor.

Our secondsong is “God Is Able”. It declares the awesome wonder of God – the foundation and rock upon which we build our faith and lives. The song declares,

God is able, He will never fail – He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek, Greater than all we ask – He has done great things

Lifted up, He defeated the grave
Raised to life our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord our God is able

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– Do I actively seek greatness?
– Am I comfortable wearing humility? Is my humility a false humility?
– Am I willing to embrace a humble lifestyle and NOT pursue greatness?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, practice humility and service. Find a way to let others have the day.
– Intentionally take the back seat. Find a way to serve someone else.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

There’s an age-old debate among religious people regarding mental health and spirituality. One extreme believes that all mental health issues really come down to spiritual issues. Instead of mental health professionals and medication, sick people simply need “deliverance” from the spirits that are afflicting them. The other extreme believes that there are legitimate physiological issues concerning mental health that have nothing to do with spiritual issues. Instead of praying for these people, we ought to be getting them therapy and medication.

This brings us to the word of the day: DELIVERANCE

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.

But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

There is a natural tendency in the western world to dismiss elements of the supernatural in the biblical narratives. We hear “experts” saying things like, “Well, the young man must have suffered from epilepsy or some other affliction that made him act the way he did.” We like to sanitize the bits of the Bible that make us uncomfortable.

Like a person who acts completely bananas and the Bible calls it demonic possession.

But we cannot simply dismiss the parts that don’t fit within our cultural framework. Regardless of how you feel about the mental health profession or about exorcisms, the simply truth of the text is that we are presented with a case of spiritual attack. And notice how Luke describes the end-result of the encounter. It’s not really about a demon-possession and exorcism – it comes down to illness and healing. The power Jesus wields as a healer is the power that restores the young man to wholeness.

Sometimes we go through things that are physiological. Sometimes we go through things that are spiritual. Sometimes we go through things that are combinations of the two with no clear-cut distinction. That’s not really the point. The point is that the “majesty of God” has the power to heal WHATEVER afflicts us. It’s not about trying to control the demons or illnesses. It’s about recognizing that the power of God at work in Jesus can overcome any power seen in this world.

Rather than trying to fit the Bible in our framework, perhaps we should be remodeling our thinking to fit what God is trying to tell us.

His majesty is astonishing.

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Open Up the Heavens.” It’s one of my favorites and is a cry out to God, asking for his presence in our midst.

Open up the heavens we want to see You
Open up the floodgates a mighty river
Flowing from Your heart
Filling every part of our praise

Our second song is “Waiting Here For You”. It declares the awesome wonder of God – the foundation and rock upon which we build our faith and lives. The song declares,

If faith can move the mountains
Let the mountains move
We come with expectation
Waiting here for You
Waiting here for You

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– How do I need spiritual healing? Physical healing?
– Have I tried everything EXCEPT Jesus to solve the problem?
– Am I willing to ask Jesus to heal me?
– Am I willing to live with the answer if God says, “No.”?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, start being persistent in asking God to heal your affliction.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Isn’t Just Another Prophet

Jesus isn’t as good as Muhammad.

He’s better.

No, it’s not being racist or Islamophobic. It’s a proclamation of faith. In the same way that Muslims declare that Muhammad is the ultimate prophet of Allah, Christianity proclaims with certainty that there is NO equal to Jesus. That’s a difficult message in today’s world – a world that values diversity and letting everyone find their own path. But there is no escaping the biblical message that there is no other way than Jesus.

And that brings us to the word of the day: UNIQUE

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

LUKE 9:28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,[a] which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

This is the second time in the Gospel of Luke that Heaven makes a proclamation about Jesus. When Jesus is baptized, God says, “You are my beloved Son, in you I am well-pleased.” (Luke 3:22). Now Jesus once again gets the official heavenly seal of approval.

Notice the heavenly visitors spending time with Jesus: Moses and Elijah. The first led God’s people in the original Exodus and the prophet represents the last things and end of time (the eschaton). Jesus is leading a new Exodus, a spiritual journey out of the slavery of sin and into the promised land where we are renewed in our relationship with God.

But Peter doesn’t get it. He sees some great spiritual characters and wants to set up shelters for all of them. He’s inadvertently lumping Jesus in with the other two, not realizing it. But you can’t equate Jesus with anyone else in all of human history. The Spirit of God envelops them all and declares the uniqueness of Jesus – He is the Son of God, the Chosen One. No one else gets to use this claim.

And while people who follow other religions may be good people in their character and behavior, the Bible never compromises that all other roads don’t lead to the same place. There is only one true path, and that’s the path that follows Jesus. So hear what God is saying about who Jesus is and what our response needs to be: LISTEN TO HIM. It does no good to say, “I follow Jesus,” if we’re not actually going to listen to what he says and put it into practice in our lives.

So stop trying to set up tents for everyone else and find the unique Jesus. And listen to him.

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “This I Believe (The Creed).” In a day and age where belief has become so individualized that it is seen as rude to proclaim one’s faith, it is important for Christians to KNOW what we believe and to still proclaim it publicly
.

I believe in God our Father
I believe in Christ the Son
I believe in the Holy Spirit
Our God is three in One
I believe in the resurrection
That we will rise again
For I believe in the Name of Jesus

Our second song is “The Stand,” one of my all-time faves. It declares the our position before God – that we will stand in awe and worship the Chosen One. The song says,

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– What do I believe about Jesus?
– Do I place Jesus on the same level with others or do I see him as unique?
– Am I willing to listen to Jesus?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, come to a personal decision about what you believe about Jesus.
– Identify what it would mean to actually LISTEN to Jesus if he is Lord.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

When Justin Bieber Finds Jesus

Every once in a while I’ll see a headline in the news that is shocking, even jarring. This week I saw a headline about Justin Bieber’s comments on Christianity and his desire to live like Jesus.

Yeah, I wasn’t sure how to respond. My sarcasm and skepticism meters initially jumped off the chart and it took me a couple hours to bring it down. When a very public figure goes from wild-child to disciple of Jesus there’s bound to be a lot of disbelief. He can’t be serious. This must be a publicity stunt. What’s he REALLY trying to pull?

I imagine this is the similar response the Apostle Paul received after his dramatic conversion experience. And no, that’s not to put Bieber on the same level with the Apostle. It’s merely saying that salvation leading to extreme turn-arounds should NOT be shocking to Christians. We, of all people, should be the first to say, “Yeah, that’s the kind of thing our God can do! Look at how he radically transforms lives.” So I’m not sure how or to what extent, but Justin Bieber has publically proclaimed that he wants to live like Jesus.

And that brings us to the word of the day: ASHAMED

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Tough words from Jesus. It’s the part of the Bible where the rubber meets the road. It’s not merely enough to believe the right thing, but being an authentic follower of Jesus must mean something and actually play out in real life. In his book “Growing True Disciples,” George Barna writes: …most believers say their faith matters, but few are investing much energy in the pursuit of spiritual growth.”

This is a problem, folks. We want the title without putting in any of the work. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Those who claim the title “Christian” need to be working to see evidence of a life change. That change is then projected into the world around us. It’s about rejecting the world and embracing Jesus. It’s about not being a closet-Christian but a public one.

While some might mock Justin Bieber for his public proclamation about his desire to live like Jesus, isn’t this EXACTLY what Jesus is talking about? Are we willing to publicly state, “I’m going to do my best to follow him”?
_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Unbroken Praise.” It’s new to me, but it quickly is becoming a favorite! It’s about our praise of the God who calls us, saves us, and changes us. When we think about what God has done in our lives THIS should be our natural response!

Unbroken praise be yours, God forever
all my praise, God, be yours forever
Lord, take this life
Let it become your throne
Unbroken praise be yours.

God accepts us as we are.

Our second song is “God Is Able”. It declares the awesome wonder of God – the foundation and rock upon which we build our faith and lives. The song declares,

God is able, He will never fail – He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek, Greater than all we ask – He has done great things

Lifted up, He defeated the grave
Raised to life our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord our God is able

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– How has God changed my life?
– Am I willing to pursue spiritual growth and discipleship or do I mere want the title?
– Am I willing to make a public stand for Jesus?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, make a discipleship plan – how will you pursue spiritual growth?
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Gets Amnesia

Sometimes I have a hard time remembering names. It can take me a while before I learn a name.

So it’s great in the military where we all wear our names right on our shirts – every day!

But even though we sometimes have difficulty in remembering other people, it’s not very often that we forget who we are. Of course, when Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” he’s not asking them to jog his memory. 😉

And that brings us to the word of the day: REMEMBER

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Instead of recording my own video devotion this week, I wanted to share a powerful video about the identity of Jesus from a sermon of the late S.M. Lockridge. Here it is:

Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

After coming from a crowd of thousands, Jesus now puts the top 12 to the test. He knows who he is. The reader of the gospel knows who he is. At his baptism a voice from heaven told him:

You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.

The question is designed to see if the people listening to Jesus understand who he is. Of course, the masses DON’T get it. There are guesses: John the Baptist, Elijah, one of the other prophets…. But none of those are right. So Jesus pushes the 12 a bit further and says, “But what about you??”

And for once in his life Peter seems to “get it.”

The question that Jesus asks the disciples is the same question we all have to answer. Who is Jesus? A good teacher? One of the prophets? Or can we say that he is the Christ – the Messiah?

This is the question that separates the doubters from the faithful. The identity of Jesus as the Christ – God’s Messiah – is a key Christian distinctive. And when we take it on faith that this is the identity of Jesus it affects our own discipleship. We’re not merely trying to follow the teachings of a wise man.

We’re following in the footsteps of God in the flesh. His character needs to be our character.

So how about you?

Who do YOU say Jesus is?

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “I Am.” The words are powerful. Though today we were talking about the identity of Jesus, let’s talk about who we are in Him!

I am holding on to you
I am holding on to you
In the middle of the storm
I am holding on – I am

No matter where your life has taken you, you can hold on to a faithful and unmovable God!

Our secondsong is “Your Grace Finds Me”. It declares the awesome grace of God. The song declares,

From the creation to the cross
There from the cross into eternity
Your grace finds me
Yes your grace finds me

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– Who do I believe Jesus is?
– How does my belief (or lack of it) influence my behavior?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, share your belief about Jesus with someone else (through conversation, email, whatever). If you don’t believe, have a conversation with someone who does and talk about your position.
– Ask yourself why you do (or don’t) believe.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!

– – – – – – – – – –
If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Was a Carb-aholic

Hi, my name is Chris, and I’m a carb-aholic.

I LOVE bread. One of the great things about eating at restaurants is that they ALWAYS bring you bread before dinner. I remember being a kid going to the Olive Garden and filling up on breadsticks. Who needs dinner? I’ve got breadsticks!

I imagine Jesus was a guy a lot like me. He loved bread. Well, perhaps not as much as I do, but he sure used bread a lot. He used it for food. He used it for teaching illustrations. Yeah, Jesus was a carb-aholic, too 🙂

And that brings us to the word of the day: BREAD

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.

What we have going on here is a passing of the torch. The disciples have been around Jesus and have seen him in action. Now Jesus tells them it’s time to put their training into practice. The disciples are to depend on God for their sustenance which will come through the hospitality of those they serve. The dust has to do with not allowing any foreign dust to contaminate Jewish soil – it is a rejection of the unholy. If people reject the messenger of God they are also rejecting God. In the words of Taylor Swift, “Shake it off!” Move on to fertile ground.

The debate in Christian circles here is how far Jesus’s commission applies. Was it good only for those 12? Or is Jesus’s commission to preach and perform wonders still the commission to disciples today? Though some Christians are uncomfortable with the idea of healing ministries, there is nothing biblical to say that modern disciples have any less of a calling to preach and heal. But the acts of power always go hand-in-hand with the preaching. The purpose of the power is to demonstrate the PRESENCE of the kingdom of God here and now.

On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” And they did so, and had them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

The crowds follow Jesus because they are impressed with the miracles and signs. Are these people committed to Christ? No, they’re just there for the show. But Jesus didn’t turn them away. He welcomed them.

Getting on my soapbox for a second, there is something those of us who are part of the worldwide Church can learn here.

We can be welcoming to all people without insisting they act, look, or sound a certain way. The 5,000 people weren’t checked by the disciples to make sure they were acceptable. All were welcomed. Jesus never downplayed sin. He told people to their faces to stop sinning. But he always let the crowd come around to see what was going on.

Too often we focus on changing people BEFORE we let them come around. We want people to be saints before they can be part of our group. This isn’t the way I see Jesus doing it. Okay, getting off soapbox.

The disciples had just returned from an incredible mission doing God’s work but their heads at once return to normal. Jesus is trying to continue their mission but they back down. When the need for God’s work to be done, Jesus says, “YOU FEED THEM!” They should have stepped right up and said, “YES!” But they didn’t. They were being stretched beyond their limits and didn’t know what to do.

So Jesus steps up to handle bidness his way. What we see is a reflection of the Old Testament, where Moses also instructed the people and was involved in a miraculous feeding in the wilderness. Mark’s version of this story also includes allusion to Psalm 23. Jesus seats people on the green grass, and in Psalm 23 the Shepherd causes to lie down in green pastures.

At the end of the day, Jesus demonstrates God’s abundant provision by miraculously providing for thousands of people in the middle of nowhere. This provision is a continuation of the preaching of the good news – the gospel – that God’s kingdom is breaking into this present reality!

This power of God is not myth. It’s not fantasy. It’s reality.
_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Our God,” one of my all-time favorites. It talks about the action and power of God.

Water you turned into wine
Opened the eyes of the blind
There’s no one like you
None like you…!

He is the God who can meet all our needs!

Our second song is “Nothing Is Wasted”. Think about the needs in your life. Jesus can provide for you needs. He shows time and again the Bible that He works all things for our good – even the tough times. Our needs might be physical, spiritual, or emotional, but he can meet them abundantly. The song declares,

 You are loving, You are wise
There is nothing in my life You cannot revive
You are loving, You are wise
There is nothing too hard for our God

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– Will we pick up and go when God sends us? How far will we go to depend on God’s provision rather than our own preparedness? Where do we rely on ourselves when we should rely on God?
– What does it look like today to “shake the dust off our feet”?
– How do we as disciples find ourselves sometimes at odds with what Jesus wants us to do? What do we ask Jesus to do when He is telling us to do it?
– How has being a disciple of Jesus stretched me beyond my limits?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, do your part to fulfill Jesus’s commission. How can you spread the good news and do His work?
– How can you serve people in His name?
– Try to welcome people to hear the gospel no matter who they are.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Doctor Christ, OBGYN

I hate going to the doctor.

Actually, I avoid going to the doctor at all if I can.

But that’s just for myself. When it comes to my kids, I’m willing to take them to the doctor at the drop of a hat. They’re my babies, and I’m not going to have them suffer if there’s anything I can do about it.

So what happens when a dad loses his little girl? How will Jesus respond?

And that brings us to the word of the day: QUACK

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

Not all of the religious leaders are opposed to Jesus. Here we see one of them actually coming to Jesus for help with his sick child. Of course, when we are desperate we will do things that sometimes goes against the crowd. Rather than being pro-Jesus, it could be that this desperate father simply is out of options. The healer/rabbi could be the only thing left that Jairus has not tried.

It’s funny how desperation will bring people to Jesus unlike anything else in the world. We see a global resurgence in faith and religious activity after major crises. I’m sure most American churches saw an upswing in attendance following the 9/11 attacks. This isn’t a commentary on people’s behavior other than to point out that, in times of stress and crisis, people usually fall back to spiritual truths that are forgotten or neglected when life is good.

So in a moment of crisis, Jairus turns to Jesus for help.

The stage is set, clearly this is an emergency. This girl who is at the beginning of womanhood is about to be taken from the world. If there were anything pressing Jesus to hurry, this might be it. But then something terrible happens – Jesus’s journey to help the child is interrupted.

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Here is someone else who is filled with desperation. A woman who had been suffering for over a decade seeks healing and relief. She had seen everyone and had spent all she had. Nothing helped. So her last shot is to try to touch this healer/rabbi and catch some of his power.

A woman.

A woman with feminine issues.

A woman with feminine issues touching a man.

A woman with feminine issues touching a man in public.

There is no way that this ever should have happened, yet here she is. And it works!

It wasn’t even anything that Jesus did. He didn’t speak any special words of blessing. He didn’t reach out and touch the woman. He’s completely passive in this story – it’s just about WHO HE IS. The power flows off of him like a super-charged divine battery.

While she fears for the worst, Jesus reassures her that she isn’t in trouble. Her faith in Jesus’s power has led to her healing, and Jesus sends her away in peace.

But don’t forget why Jesus is traveling in the first place. He’s off to meet with a dying young girl. I love the way that these stories of desperation of juxtaposed. The father and the woman are both desperate. Both seek the help of Jesus. And what we see happen to the woman should cue us about what is about to happen with the girl.

While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

She’s dead, but Jesus is not your ordinary healer. He doesn’t need special words. Heck, he doesn’t even need to touch the sick person. This man who handles demons without batting an eye, who controls the elements of nature, and heals all manner of disease can help.

And he does. Death is no match for the power of God at work in and through Jesus. Unlike the father and the woman who show their belief in approaching Jesus, the mourners at the little girl’s house have no faith. Indeed, they laugh at Jesus.

But Jesus pulls a Taylor Swift and shakes off the haters. He gets the girl and restores her to life and health. To top it off, he instructs the family to feed the child. Here’s your miracle proof. She was really raised and not a ghost or apparition, ’cause ghosts don’t need to eat! 🙂

This is the same Jesus who is at work in the world today.

Do we have faith to approach him in our time of crisis?
_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Walk By Faith.” Jeremy Camp wrote it when he was going through a dark time iwife’s illness.

I will walk by faith
Even when I cannot see
Because this broken road
Prepares your will for me

We might not see the big picture, but we walk in faith knowing God has everything under control.

Our second song this morning talks about how the love of God is bigger than any problems we might face. Even if we don’t receive healing in this life, God still loves us more than anything. The song is called “One Thing Remains” and says:

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant in thr trial and the change
This one thing remains

Your love never fails, it never gives up
It never runs out on me!

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– Would I approach Jesus? Is he my last resort or my first option?
– What kind of faith do I have?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, pursue Jesus’s help in your crises (whatever they may be).
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Christ: Demon Hunter

Hollywood has given us quite a few images of demons and the people who pursue them. Sometimes the movies and television shows portray angels vs. demons. Sometimes the story is humanity vs. demons. I’ve even seen Frankenstein vs. demons.

Usually when the story revolves around humanity vs. demons, the way to dispatch the demons is to use some sort of relic or religious artifact. You know, those demons don’t do well when they are sprinkled with holy water, or we put an image of a cross on a sword. Something like that.

But all of these stories we have in our world today are not remotely biblical. The New Testament takes demons for granted but does not describe their origin or nature. They are sometimes the source of mental and physical illnesses (but not always the source of these problems). Still, while we never get a description of what the demons (biblically called unclean spirits) LOOK like, we do see multiple encounters between Jesus and demons. The exorcism stories in the Bible can be downright frightening, too!

And that brings us to the word of the day: Demon Hunter

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

Yeah, this starts out JUST like a Hollywood horror movie. The demon-possessed dude even has tattered clothes and breaks his chains and shackles. And here he bum-rushes Jesus, yelling and having a fit. In the ancient world, tombs were the primary hangouts of demons (after all, unclean spirits live in unclean places, right?).

I don’t know about you but I think I’d be beside myself if I were travelling with Jesus and this crazy-possessed guy started charging us!

I think Luke is setting us up to hear another story later on, when Jesus is accused of being in an alliance with the devil. Jesus makes a reference to tying up a strong man and being tied up by a stronger man. Here you have a demon possessed man that CANNOT be bound by chains and shackles – no one can subdue him but at the mere sight of Jesus he falls down to the ground.

Who is the strong man?

Who is the stronger man?

The question the man asks Jesus is borderline rude. It translates literally something like: What is it to you and to me? It’s a question designed to separate the one asking from the one being asked. It’s the same question Jesus uses to rebuff his mother when she wants him to supply wine to the wedding feast in John 2.

But the difference here is that the demon is now begging Jesus.

“Please – leave us alone!”

It would be hard for first century readers to miss the significance of the demon’s name: Legion. In a Roman-occupied world, everyone would have know that a Legion was a Roman army unit (roughly 4000-6000 soldiers). Here we’re not being told the exact number of demons – it is a metaphor for “a lot.”

Yet despite their great numbers they are not powerful enough to defeat Jesus. They like to torment but don’t like to be tormented! They’ve met their match in the one called Jesus. So Jesus sends them out of the human, the one made in the image of God, and into a herd of pigs. It’s a fitting end – the unclean spirits go into unclean animals and drown in the watery depths!

Hollywood can’t even come up with stuff this good. 🙂

When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

What do the people fear? Jesus has come to bring freedom to the spiritually oppressed and they can’t handle it. In an ironic twist, while Jesus drives away the demons the people try to drive Jesus away. Jesus is never one to stay where he isn’t wanted so he leaves. In contrast to the rest of the town, the formerly possessed man doesn’t want Jesus to leave without him! But Jesus sends him away to tell others about what God had done.

Here’s the interesting thing to me: when people have an encounter with Jesus it is hard to keep them quiet. They make the best evangelists and invite everyone they know to hear about what God has done. It’s the best kind of God-talk because you can’t dispute someone’s personal experience with God.

“Let me tell you what Jesus did for me!”

What can people say? “No, he didn’t REALLY do that.”

No, an encounter with Jesus can leave us radically changed and healed. Sometimes it’s spiritual. Sometimes it’s physical. But there is no power that can outmatch him. There is no presence that can beat him.

He is incomparable.

_ _ _
We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Breath of God.” It’s one of my wife’s favorites and has an incredible message about the power of God at work in our lives.

What power of earth
What strength of Man
Makes dust alive
And bone to dance
Creating beauty unsurpassed?
Only You

Our secondsong is “God Is Able”. It declares the awesome wonder of God – the foundation and rock upon which we build our faith and lives. The song declares,

God is able, He will never fail – He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek, Greater than all we ask – He has done great things

Lifted up, He defeated the grave
Raised to life our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord our God is able

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– Has Jesus made a before-and-after difference in my life? What else needs to be released before I am free?
– Are we more interested in business as usual (like the pig merchants) or the power of God to deliver our chaotic lives?
– Do we celebrate God’s power to change or fear what we will have to sacrifice for the change to happen?
– What can/do I say about my experience with Jesus to others?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, examine the areas where nothing has seemed to work. You just can’t get control and all of your efforts seem in vain.
– Consciously and intentionally fall at the feet of Jesus seeking help with your demons. Just see what his power can do!
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

The Wrong Man: An Easter Devotion

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), or Mounties, have the motto, “We always get our man!” But it’s not always easy to get the right man. Sometimes authorities get the wrong man. In the United States, it is believed that .5% of all major crime convictions are wrongful convictions. While .5% may not seem like much, we’re talking about 10,000 men and women wrongfully accused, convicted, and imprisoned. Perhaps some of you know what it is like to be on the receiving end – to be wrongfully accused, criticized, or attacked.

And that brings us to the word of the day: WRONGFUL CONVICTION

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Jesus was the wrong man. We pick up Jesus’ story in Mark 15.

At the festival it was Pilate’s custom to release for the people a prisoner they requested. There was one named Barabbas, who was in prison with rebels who had committed murder during the rebellion. The crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do for them as was his custom. So Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?” For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed Him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.

Pilate asked them again, “Then what do you want me to do with the One you call the King of the Jews?” Again they shouted, “Crucify Him!” Then Pilate said to them, “Why? What has He done wrong?” But they shouted, “Crucify Him!” all the more. Then, willing to gratify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. And after having Jesus flogged, he handed Him over to be crucified. (Mark 15:6-15)

They Imprisoned the Wrong Man. We see a striking contrast between the prisoners of this story. On one hand you have Jesus, whom was accused of being a rebel and a threat to Rome. His real crime was that he was a threat to the chief priests. They couldn’t allow this “Messiah” to continue to go around and make trouble for them. So they accused him of being a rebel. On the other hand you have Barabbas, a revolutionary fighter who was arrested with an actual group of murderous rebels! But the irony goes even deeper.

Barabbas’ name is Aramaic and literally means “son of the father.” Here stands Jesus, the real Son of the Father, and Pilate asks, “Shall I release this Son of the Father?” and the crowd cries out, “No! Don’t give us that Son of the Father – the one who brings peace and gives life. Give us Barabbas, the son of the father, who is murderous rebel!” In the most cruel of ironies, they imprisoned the wrong man. And so Jesus is handed over to be crucified.

Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with Him. When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. [Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”] And they divided His clothes and cast lots. The people stood watching, and even the leaders kept scoffing: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine and said, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” An inscription was above Him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:32-43)

They Crucified the Wrong Man. As Jesus hangs on the cross between two criminals, one starts to ridicule and mock him. But the other stops the first and says, “We deserve this – this man does not.” They crucified the wrong man. It’s the story of Third Day’s song Thief.

There was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, who had not agreed with their plan and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God. He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed. It was preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how His body was placed. Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. “He is not here, but He has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” And they remembered His words. Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went home, amazed at what had happened. (Luke 23:50-24:12)

They Buried the Wrong Man. There’s an age-old joke that asks, “Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?” The answer is that no one is buried there. You don’t bury in a tomb – you entomb them. But it’s the same purpose. It’s the final resting grounds for the deceased. But they entombed the wrong man! You see, Jesus never was gonna stay dead. It was never part of the plan. Jesus even tried to tell his disciples: The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill Him, but after He is killed, He will rise three days later.” But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him. ~ Mark 9:31-32. So when the women go to look for Jesus in the tomb the angel asks, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” They buried the wrong man.

So here is Jesus. Wrongfully imprisoned. Wrongfully crucified. Wrongfully buried. This is not supposed to happen to an innocent man. This is not supposed to happen to the Son of God. It’s just not right – at least not from our eyes. But it had to happen this way.

Because, in actuality, Jesus was the right man.

They Imprisoned the Right Man. Jesus was imprisoned so that you and I might have freedom. He became a captive so that we might escape. No one else could take our place. Jesus was the right man.

They Crucified the Right Man. He died as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. He was crucified in our place. When we look at what our sin deserves, it should have been us on the cross. Left to ourselves our paths will lead us to destruction. Jesus paid the price for our sin so that we could be reconciled to God – so that we might have a living relationship with the creator of the heavens and the earth. Buddha didn’t die on your behalf. Mohammed didn’t die on your behalf. No, they crucified the only man who could take the penalty for our sin. Jesus was the right man.

They Buried the Right Man. It was necessary for Jesus to die and then be raised again. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15 that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day…and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. But Jesus defeated death, and now we have no fear in death. Jesus’ resurrection points to the day when those who believe will be resurrected and live with Him forevermore. Death has been swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God who give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! No, Jesus was the only one who could defeat death once and for all, paving the way for the new life we will one day live. Jesus was the right man.

There was no one else – there is no one else – there never will be anyone else – who could do what Jesus did for you and me. Peter declares in Acts 4:12: There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.

2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us:

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Maybe you’ve made the decision, but you haven’t really been living up to the person that God has intended you to be. Jesus paid the price – are you living up to your purchase price? Are you living in light of the cross? In your personal life? In your relationships? Jesus was the right man. He died so that we could live in freedom. Do not take the cross for granted. Don’t let His death mean nothing to you. My grandma always used to say, “Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can do today.”

Choose Jesus.

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “Here I Am to Worship.” It is a simple song about our response to what God has done for us. the bridge is a perfect Easter anthem declaring:

I’ll never know
how much it cost
to see my sin
upon the cross…

Jesus paid the price that we could never afford to pay.

Our second song is “Forever Reign” – a personal favorite. The song says,

Oh, I’m runnin’ to your arms
I’m runnin’ to your arms
The riches of your love
Will always be enough

Nothing compares to your embrace
Light of the world – forever reign!

Jesus is not dead but has risen from the grave and reigns over all creation!

FOR REFLECTION:
– What do you think is the cost we would have to pay to make up for humanity’s brokenness?
– Have I decided to follow Jesus? If not, why not?

MAKING IT REAL:
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.

– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant

Jesus Exorcises Mother Nature

It’s normal to forget things. It’s human to forget things. The human brain can only retain so much – everything else is washed away.

When I think about memory and retention I’m always reminded of a particular Far Side cartoon.

The other day my wife told me a small detail about her love for a certain kind of ice cream: why she liked it and why another kind of ice cream simply wouldn’t do.

When I was next at the store buying ice cream, what she told me came to mind and actually influenced my purchasing decision. Later when she asked if we had ice cream I said, “Yes, but I didn’t get such-and-such because you told me that your preference was….”

She nearly collapsed right there. She was stunned that I remembered that small detail (’cause let’s face it, I forget a lot of more important ones!). But c’mon – WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ICE CREAM!!!  🙂

And that brings us to the word of the day: STORMS

It’s time for church…

At the end of this digital church service there’s a place for comments. We’d love to hear from you. What did you take away from the service? What spoke to you? What do you have questions about? How can we do better to serve you and your friends and family? Thx!

Here’s the Bible passage:

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:22-25)

I bet the disciples were OUT OF THEIR MINDS terrified. In the Ancient Near East they believed raging seas were the activity of the gods and demons. The storm isn’t just a nautical problem they face – it represents high powers at work coming against them.

But Jesus asleep isn’t just about him being tired. Jesus’s sleep is an image of His complete trust in God’s care and provision. The psalmist writes:

In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

Jesus’s confidence in the power of God is SO complete that he can lie down and sleep even in the middle of a raging (demonic?) sea. Not so the disciples. So in their panic they wake the rabbi. And Jesus goes to work handling the spiritual turmoil. Remember that I mentioned that raging seas were seen as demonic activity? Interestingly, Jesus’s rebuke of the wind and waves uses the same language he uses to subdue the unclean spirits he exorcises! Jesus exorcises nature – there is no power in the physical world or the spiritual world that is greater than the power of God.

Does God seem asleep in the middle of our chaos? Do we react rudely and demand, “Don’t you care?!?” But the disciples should have known better. Psalm 65:6-8 declares:

By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;

the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;

who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples,

so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

But the disciples don’t think this way. In fact, they seem to have forgotten everything Jesus has done up to this point. Exorcisms, healings the sick, raising the dead! But memory is a funny thing. What you think you’d remember sometimes vanishes. A psychologist named Ebbinghaus did a detailed study on memory and forgetfulness. Here’s what he came up with…

– Most of what we experience is forgotten within the first 60 minutes. After a full 24 hours we only retain 33%.

– After a week we’re down to 25%.

– You can fight forgetfulness by practicing recall – work on pulling something to memory throughout the day and throughout the week…

Still – you would THINK the disciples would retain a LITTLE bit more. Even today we tend to forget what God has done in the past. And remembering what God has done in the past helps instill hope for tomorrow. Recognizing Jesus should lead us to desperately pursue Him. The disciples had that part right. But in their fear they had forgotten the power of God at work in Jesus. The time will come when we all get hit by storms. The “American Dream” used to be about securing stability and defining life by possessions. The problem is that it’s an empty promise – a false dream. Even those who have “arrived” still face the same problems the rest of us face. We all get sick. We all get hit with storms.

In the middle of the storm, when night is darkest and you’re being battered, the real presence of Jesus can calm the wind, instill courage, and reduce fear.

_ _ _

We’re going to have some reflection and response time. Think about the message and focus on the words of the songs.

Our first song is called “You Never Let Go.” It’s all about the fact that, no matter what we go through, God never lets go of us. The songwriter says:

Oh, no, you never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh, no, you never let go
In every high and every low
Oh, no, you never let go
Lord, you never let go of me

Through the storms, he is there.

Our second song is “Still”. The song declares,

Father, you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God

Let’s worship…

FOR REFLECTION:
– What storms am I facing right now?
– Have I been living in fear and terror or resting in the peace from knowing the power of God?
– Can I ask Jesus to rescue me from the storms I face?

MAKING IT REAL:
– This week, write out your “storms” in life.
– Start praying every day that God would give you peace so that you can lie down in safety.
– At the end of the week share your God moments with us here on the site or on our page at Facebook.
– If you’ve never come to the place in your life where you have decided to be a follower of Jesus and want to know more, please shoot us a message and we’ll be glad to talk to you about what it means to be a follower!
– – – – – – – – – –

If there’s anything you would like prayer for just contact us and we’ll be happy to pray for you. We also provide pastoral counseling. Let us know how we can serve you. We’d love feedback from you. You can send us an email or comment below. Let us know your thoughts and how you think we can get better.

Finally, if today’s message resonated with you at all, we would appreciate it if you would share this digital church service with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other media you use. Help share about Jesus! Thanks, and have a great week!

Follow @chrislinzey
Follow @thechurchplant