Wednesday, December 29, 2010

29. He Died To End Racial Tensions

Ephesians 2:14


I heard recently that the the most recognizable face in the whole world is the face of Jesus. Now folks, that is about the weirdest thing ever, because no one in the world knows what Jesus looked like! I guess they mean that painting of Jesus where He’s basically a white dude with flowing, light brown hair and blue eyes. Hmm. The New Testament never gives even one physical description of Jesus, but we at least know He wasn’t white. He was Middle Eastern, born in Israel. We do know that He had at least six Africans in His genealogy. But there is something more strange than the white Jesus painting everyone knows and way more sad, and that is that there have been people who claim to love Jesus but hate people of other races. The racial tension and hatred that has existed within the church has been one of the greatest tragedies of the church’s history and is absolutely detestable to the tender heart of God. In Ephesians 2, the Apostle Paul says that one of the reasons Jesus died on the cross was to remove the wall of hostility that exists between different races. I love Jesus because He loves everyone and He died so that everyone could stop hating and love one another.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

28. He Keeps His Promises

Micah 5:2


When the very first humans walked away from God for the very first time, the world broke. It has never recovered from that initial act of rebellion, but even before the dust settled from the destructive convulsion of that sad treason, God promised that He would fix everything. He told Eve that she would have a Descendant who would overcome the snake, but where would He come from and who would He be? The entire human race have been the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve, so who would the Rescuer be? Well, many years later God specified that out of all the people in the world, He would be one of the descendants of an old desert wanderer named Abraham. Abraham's grandson Jacob had 12 sons, but God said the Redeemer would come from Judah. Of all Judah's families, God promised David that his would be the line that would produce the One. Of all the places in the world, God said that this Hero would come out of Egypt and be raised in Nazareth, but that He would be born in a little village called Bethlehem. And on a quiet night in Bethlehem, when no one was paying attention, Jesus was born. I love Jesus because He has kept every promise God ever made to a broken, weary and needy world.

Friday, December 17, 2010

27. He Came On A Mission

Hebrews 10:5


When all three of my children were born, I remember having this feeling in the hospital that I wish I could talk with them. I remember rocking them in the middle the night, those brand new little eyes staring at mine so alertly and saying to them, "What a day you've had! I wish you could talk to me... I wonder what you're thinking about right now." One of my favorite Christmas verses in the Bible isn't even in the Gospels. It's in the book of Hebrews, where the author quotes Psalm 40. You see, thanks to the writer of Hebrews, we know exactly what was going through Jesus' mind when He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger and staring into the faces of Joseph and Mary on that first Christmas. I love Jesus because from the moment He came into this world, He was on a mission. Right there in the beginning of His life on earth, from the moment He started living in a body, His thoughts were, "God, you've given me a body and I'm here to use it to do Your will." Jesus was always on a mission to pay for us, to win us back, to give Himself. The word 'Christmas' means, "the mission of the Christ." The baby in Bethlehem was on a mission of love.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

26. He Will Redeem Even Our Secrets

Revelation 2:17


Everyone has secrets. Everyone, even the most transparent and open person has things they are hiding. Everyone has old moments, thought patterns and destructive tendencies that we don't let anyone into. I bet most of the time we don't even acknowledge these ultra-dark sides of us to our own selves because we are trying to forget them and get away from them, but the truth is we can't. We can't change the past and we can't outrun our own dark hearts. I love Jesus because He is not only forgiving our sin; but somehow, in some feat of spiritual alchemy, He's not just going to sponge out our darkest stuff, He's actually going to turn it into something beautiful: an eternal heirloom of His transforming power. In Revelation 2, Jesus wrote a letter to the church in Pergamum where He says that in the end He will give to His overcomers a white stone with a new name, known only to the one who receives it. Wait... secrets in heaven? Yes. Jesus will give you a pure and unchanging new name that only you will know. It will be a little secret between you and Jesus, like an everlasting memorial of the way He buried your darkest stain and brought new beauty to life from the grave.

Friday, November 19, 2010

25. He Didn't Tell Me Everything Up Front

John 16:12


Two and a half years ago, we sold our house and part of the process was telling our realtor every single thing about it, good or bad, right up front so that we could fix the stuff that needed fixing and not be surprised by the home inspection. Same goes for buying a car: you want the whole story right now, because you have a right to know what you're getting in to. It doesn't really work that way in your spiritual life. Since I've been walking with Christ, He has dragged me through some absolute junk. I've had to go through things, endure things and do things I never would have chosen in a million years that I would have avoided in a life without Him, and He never told me about a single one of them up front. I've watched people I love live through incessant heartbreak and tragedy they never knew they would face before coming to know Christ, and He never told them it would happen. I love Jesus because He lets us in on what He's doing when we're ready for it and not before. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus told His disciples they would be hated, hunted and killed. He said He didn't tell them at first because He was with them. If Jesus had told me up front all the crap I would go through in waking with Him, I may not have followed, and I would have missed out on so much, including life itself.

Friday, November 12, 2010

24. He Knows Me Better Than I Do

John 13:38


The coolest thing Peter ever said was more than he should have said. Don't get me wrong; I'm sure he meant every word of it. It was totally sincere, it just wasn't true. On the night Jesus was betrayed, He told His disciples that He was going away and that they couldn't go with Him. He had been warning them of His death and resurrection for months, but now it was time. The disciples were confused and afraid. Peter said, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." I love Jesus because He knew Peter better than Peter knew himself, and still loved him. Jesus looked into Peter's eyes and told him the truth about himself. "You'll die for me? Really? I know you feel that way now, but before the sun comes up, you're going to betray me." It must have been a shock to hear those words, but Jesus sweetly followed them up by saying, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. I'm going to come back for you and take you to be with me forever." He knows the depths of our troubled hearts more than we do and he loves us and wants us more than we do.

Monday, November 1, 2010

23. He Toasted His Betrayer

John 13:26


Jesus did a strange thing on the night He was betrayed. He toasted His betrayer. Now, it didn’t look like a toast in our culture; but it was. Jesus told His friends one of them would betray Him, and when asked who it would be, He said it would be the one to whom He would give the bread once He had dipped it in the dish. Most folks read right over that little statement, but it’s a big deal. You see, in those days and in that culture, this gesture was a high honor. It was like standing, raising a glass and proposing a toast. So, why would Jesus toast Judas? Jesus was reaching out to him one last time, pleading with him to change his mind. But wait... Jesus knows everything, right? He knew Judas would betray Him, right? It was even prophesied, right? Yes, Jesus knew what Judas was going to do, but still His love reached out to Judas, begging him not to. I love Jesus because His love even pleads with a mind made up for betrayal. Even now, Jesus reaches out to me when He knows the many ways I will turn my back on Him. Still His love pleads with me and appeals to me, knowing that one day I’ll choose Him instead.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

22. He Didn't Want To Be Alone

John 12:24


God is a God of community. This is a deep mystery and I have never met one person who really understands it, but God, the One and only exists in Three Persons. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are God. They are not three parts of God and they are not three gods. They are God, the One and only. Now, I can’t explain that, but it is true and it leads us to understand some excessively cool things about God. For instance, God has, and always has had community and relationship because He is Three in One. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have been loving each other for eternity before there was ever a sky or sea. They’ve always known what relationship and community are and they’ve always had each other. So why would Jesus say that He was laying down His life in order to prevent being alone? If He had decided not to die and pay for sins, He wouldn’t have had any of us, but the Father Son and Holy Spirit would have had each other, so He wouldn’t really have been alone, right? I love Jesus because heaven without you and me would have felt like being alone to Him. That’s how much He loves us.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

21. He Loves Your Love For Him

Mark 14:6


Every week my friend Tom and I go to the Anderson County jail to lead a Bible Study for some of the fellas in Unit 2. Every week we plead with guys out on the block to come join us as we sing, pray and try to figure out what it looks like to live a life with God in it. Lots of guys come, but there are also lots of guys who don’t. Sometimes the ones who come are ridiculed for being a part of Bible Study. Their ‘cellies’ think they are stupid or weak. In other words, they have to take a stand, and pay a price for loving Jesus. One time a woman anointed Jesus with some very expensive perfume as a way to show Him that she loved Him. Everyone who was there made fun of her and even Jesus’ disciples chewed her out for being wasteful. But Jesus didn’t. He defended her and said she had done a “beautiful thing” for Him. I love Jesus because He loves it when people love Him back. When it costs you to love Jesus, He knows. When you suffer for loving Him, He sees it and He likes what He sees.

Monday, October 18, 2010

20. He Cares About Sheep

John 10:11


My friend Tom used to have sheep. Now, you may have always thought sheep are cute and cuddly and sweet, but if so, you were wrong. Sheep are the worst. Tom’s sheep were loud, stinky, gross, stupid, stubborn and really mean. Their eyes are on the sides of their heads and their eyelids are always half-closed so that they look like they’re stoned all the time. They’re not fast, or strong. They can’t protect themselves. If there is one redeeming thing about them, it’s beyond me. Thing is, out of all of the animals in the world, Jesus compared us with sheep. And He’s right! We can be hopelessly headstrong and completely wrong about everything! We are self-obsessed rebels who are too often drunk on our own stupid opinions. We are colossal train wrecks and out of our minds half the time, and yet, Jesus loves us! I love Jesus because He is the Good Shepherd. He not only cares about, but longs for us. He not only puts up with us, He treasures us as His very own! He not only protects us, He laid down His life for us. If I have to be a sheep, at least I know I have a Shepherd like Him.

Monday, October 4, 2010

19. He Changed My Mind

John 7:46


What if a highly trained, angry mob of soldiers went on a mission to arrest a homeless, defenseless peasant who was just standing in the middle of the street and yet they came back empty-handed? What would you think? Surely it isn’t possible, right? Yet this scenario actually happened. Some religious leaders decided they wanted Jesus in their custody, so they sent temple guards to get Him, but they came back without Him. What happened? Did He slip away from their grasp? Did He fight them off? Did He pay them off? No. He just spoke. He simply talked and in so doing, changed their minds. I love Jesus because as those bewildered soldiers said, “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” I used to think that I have a right to all of my time. I used to think that the only reason people would disagree with me would be if they had not properly listened to my side of the issue. I used to think a whole host of things that I’ve changed my mind about. Why? Because Jesus spoke to me through His word and changed me. I’ve never been the same since.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

18. He Gives As Much As You Want

John 6:11


It happens every day. Something winds up being so much less satisfying than it promised to be. Whether it's 'the number one movie in America' or 'the best pizza in town,’ it’s easy to stop expecting very much from life. I mean, even when you think you’ve got it all, it’s not enough, is it? A couple of weeks ago I engineered the perfect day. I was lounging on the couch in the air conditioning watching college football surrounded by friends and way too many calories. It was a blast! And yet, it wasn’t enough. Nothing I do or buy or taste or try is ever enough to completely satisfy the deepest itch way down inside, except Him. I love Jesus because He actually can satisfy the human heart. In John chapter 6, when thousands of people sat hungry on a hillside with no money or food, Jesus miraculously multiplied a sack lunch and fed everyone there. John says they all ate as much as they wanted and then there were a dozen baskets full of leftovers! It was a picture of what He can do in the heart, and when you come to Him, He gives as much as you could ever want.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

17. He Took Death Lightly

Mark 5:39


Is there anything more tragic than the death of a child? My now seven-year-old niece Abby was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for six months after she was born, and I can still remember visiting her in the hospital and having to steel my emotions against the onslaught of desperation and pain that so many mothers, fathers and nurses experienced every day over the sickness and too often death of precious little ones. One time Jesus followed the desperate dad of a sick little girl down crowded city streets only to find out that she had died before they arrived at the house. Jairus’ heart cracked, but Jesus didn’t flinch. He went into the house and actually asked everyone there why they were all wailing and crying. Now, this is a strange scene. I mean, did Jesus honestly not understand their tears? Was He that cold? No, it wasn’t lack of concern we see here, it was the thrill of victory. I love Jesus because He defeated death. He knew that because of His death and resurrection, He was going to unravel the pain and tragedy of dying and then triumph over all that sadness with unstoppable joy for anyone who trusts in Him.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

16. He Doesn't Make Me Impress Him

Matthew 15:28


Have you ever met someone famous? If so, do you remember that almost unstoppable urge to do something or say something impressive to get them to like you? We think that if we are talking to someone important, we need to seem important too so that they’ll accept us or think we’re cool. Thing is, if we feel this way about people, how much more so for God Himself? If there’s anyone I need to impress, it would have to be Jesus, right? One woman thought so. She sought Jesus out because she had a problem she couldn’t solve and she thought that if she impressed Him enough, He’d do what she needed, so she called Him by His Kingly title, His Israeli birthright, “Lord, Son of David,” even though she was a foreigner. Jesus didn’t even respond to her. In fact, it wasn’t until she stopped trying to impress Him and just begged for mercy like a little dog begging for scraps from the table that He turned, smiled and did what she needed. I love Jesus because He doesn’t make me fake it or impress Him. He knows I’m desperate and needy and all He requires of me is to know my need of Him.

Monday, August 30, 2010

15. He Told A Gal Like Her

John 4:26


I think many of the people who don’t care anything about Jesus are that way because deep down they think He doesn’t care anything about them. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us.” But some folks have a misconception that is a sort of dark, sad inverse of that idea which says, “He wouldn’t want me, so I don’t really care about Him either.” They think that because their lifestyle or past or reputation seems unacceptable to the Christians they’ve always known, that Jesus wouldn’t give them the time of day. I love Jesus because He not only cares about, but pursues the broken, guilty, weary and misspent outsiders. Did you know that the very first person Jesus revealed His true identity to was a woman? This was a big deal because women were totally disenfranchised and undervalued in their society, but Jesus valued her. Not only that, but she was also a foreigner and a five time divorcee who was living with her boyfriend. You probably wouldn’t find her teaching Vacation Bible School, but when this sad, hurting woman said she was waiting on the Messiah, Jesus looked at her and said, “I who speak to you am He.”

Monday, August 23, 2010

14 He Said We Didn't Have To Earn It

John 6:29


I remember seeing a bumper sticker on a guitar case once that said, “Jesus is coming, look busy!” That sticker made me sad, because at the bottom of that light-hearted joke is a very deep misunderstanding of everything Jesus was about. Most people think that in order to please God or go to heaven, we have to ‘be good enough.’ The assumption is that we have to go to church, give our money, read our Bible, say our prayers, keep the ten commandments and toss in some miscellaneous good deeds in order to meet the standards that God has laid out for us. The problem with that line of thinking is that none of us are good enough to meet God’s standard! We all fell short of that standard. That’s why Jesus came. He came to meet the standard for us and then give His life in our place to pay for all of our wrong, offering us a relationship with God and a place in heaven for free! Without having to earn it, all we have to do is want it. I love Jesus because when folks asked Him what work God required of them, He said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

13. He Even Forgives In The Present Tense

Mark 10:21


It’s sometimes hard to believe, but it’s an amazing thing to know that if we have trusted in Him, Jesus forgives us for the wrong stuff we’ve done in the past; and although it's harder to understand, I can even stretch myself to see how He has already forgiven us for the stuff we haven’t even done yet because He’s God and He’s outside of time. He exists in an eternal present and already sees all ends and so His forgiveness finds me in what was my yesterday and what will be my tomorrow. But what about the moment when my sin is actually happening? I mean, I have to be done with it and feel really bad about it to get forgiveness, right? No, it’s way better than that! In Mark 10, Jesus was talking to a rich young man who was in the process of self-righteousness and actively walking away from Jesus. And yet, Mark tells us Jesus “looked at him and loved him.” I love Jesus because His love is reaching out to me, caring about me, and forgiving me, even when I am in the middle of walking away from Him.

Friday, August 13, 2010

12. He Wasn't One of Those Judgmental Religious People

Luke 19:7


If you lined up 1,000 people who don’t go to church and asked them why they don’t go, I bet 80% of them would say it’s because they don’t want to be judged by religious people. The worst part of it is that tons of those 800 folks know what they’re talking about from experience. They’ve been called out, excluded or even openly hated by some Christian because of some thing in their lives. The thing is, Jesus didn’t treat people that way. And look, it’s not as though He didn’t take sin seriously, because He did. He went to the cross for it! He allowed Himself to be tortured and murdered to pay the penalty of sin, but He loved sinners. In fact, they were His friends. He hung out with them... socially. Zacchaeus was an institutional thief and a national traitor. He was as low a person as you could find, but in Luke 19 Jesus loved him and reached out to Him when everyone else hated him. Folks mumbled and grumbled about it, but Jesus knew that love changes people, not hate. I love Jesus because He loves sinners; which is a good thing, because I am one.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

11. He Asksed Questions

Luke 18:41


One of the most surprising things about reading the Gospels is the number of times Jesus asks someone a question. I mean, Jesus is God... He knows everything. He knew what His enemies were thinking just by reading their minds. He knew where to find fish when the pros couldn’t get a bite. He knew all the broken love stories of a woman He had never met. He knew that the Romans were going to sack and burn Jerusalem to the ground four decades before it happened, and on and on. So, why is He asking questions? He even asked questions when everyone knew the answer, like in Luke 18 when a blind guy is brought to His feet, Jesus says, “What do you want me to do for you?” Hello! He’s blind! He doesn’t want investment counseling, he wants to see! Obviously Jesus knew the answer, but He asked the question anyway because He wanted this guy to say what he needed out loud. I love Jesus because even though He knows everything I need already, He knows how important and how good it is it is for me to tell Him out loud exactly what I want from Him.

Monday, July 26, 2010

10. He Got Up When It Was Still Dark

Mark 1:35


I like to wake up early and start my day when it’s still dark, but this morning I just couldn’t do it. Yesterday was a long day filled with people and I was exhausted, so I slept on in. Mark tells us that on one occasion Jesus had a day filled with people and healings and opponents. In fact, after the sun went down, every sick person in that town came to find Jesus and Luke says He laid hands on each one of them. It must have taken hours into the night, but Mark says that He got up early the next day, while it was still dark. Even though He was spent. Even though He had practically been up all night, He got Himself up, went off by Himself and spent time with His Father. I love Jesus because taking care of His heart was the most important thing on His mind, even after a long, difficult, harrowing day. He nurtured and cared for the heart that paid for us.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

9. He Touched Each One

Luke 4:40


How many times have you heard people talk about being too busy to stop and think about one more thing? How many times have you said it yourself? You know the feeling, right? It’s so easy to let that email inbox pile up, to simply smile and wave people off, when you wish you had time to stop and deal with everyone. I love Jesus because one day in Capernaum when some sick people needed His help, Jesus laid His hands on each and every one of them. The amazing this is, this had been a long day! Jesus was teaching in the synagogue all day, then healed a man with an evil spirit, then went to Simon’s house and healed his mother in law. When the sun was setting, everyone in the village who had any kind of sickness made their way to Simon’s place. I would have said, “Come back tomorrow.” I would have said, “let’s make an appointment.” Jesus didn’t. Even though it was late and He was tired, He had time for each and everyone of them. He’s never too busy to stop and spend time with you, in fact, He loves to do just that! Whatever your problem or need is, He wants to drop everything and take care of you.

Monday, July 12, 2010

8. He Appeared to Simon

Luke 24:34


What if you betrayed your best friend? What if you sunk down to a level lower than you ever dreamed you could go? Maybe you have... maybe; like me, you know how it feels to surprise even your own self with just how bad you can be. Simon Peter knew the feeling. He told Jesus that no matter what anyone else did, he would always have Jesus’ back, but then he denied the Lord three times. People always say that the first time they saw each other again after these denials was the beachside breakfast where Jesus thrice asked Peter if he loved Him, but it wasn’t. I love Jesus because He appeared to Peter one on one after the resurrection and before that beautiful breakfast. What did they talk about? How did they reconcile? How much did Peter cry? What sweet things did Jesus say to comfort Peter’s weary and embarrassed heart? Well, we’ll never know, because it’s none of our business. Their conversation was private, just like the one Jesus wants to have with me when I’m at my worst and lowest, and just like the one He wants to have with you when you need Him most.

Monday, July 5, 2010

7. He Went To Find the Man

John 9:35


What if believing in Jesus doesn’t really solve all your problems? What if, after you’ve trusted in Him, you find that your life is more difficult than before and you enter into problems you never would have had without Him in your life? One time Jesus healed the sight of a man born blind so that “the work of God might be displayed in his life.” The healing was amazing, but it ushered in some complications that weren’t there before. All of a sudden he and his parents were subjected to an inquiry that ended in this newly healed man being kicked out of the synagogue and ostracized from the community life of his people. Now the man could see, but all he could really see was how much trouble he was in and how alone he suddenly was. I love Jesus because He went and found this man. In the midst of his troubles and discouragement, Jesus met with him, encouraged him and then told him face to face that he was talking to the Messiah! A life with Jesus is not necessarily an easier life, but it is real life with the Author of life Himself; and even if we lose everything for it, we’ll never lose Him!

Monday, June 14, 2010

6. He Already Knew What He Would Do


The other day I was talking with a friend about a situation the Lord has brought about and it occurred to me while thinking back that it didn’t go the way we wanted it to at the time. In fact, it didn’t go the way we prayed it would go at the time, but it turned out more beautifully than we could have imagined and more miraculously than we would have dared to hope for. When Jesus was about to feed the five thousand, He turned to Philip and asked him where they should go to find bread for all those folks. Philip was at a total loss... how in the world was he supposed to find bread for thousands?! But John tells us the coolest thing: Jesus only asked this to test Philip, because He already had in mind what He was going to do. I love Jesus because when things aren’t going the way I want or even the way I pray, I know that He already knows what He’s going to do. There is absolutely nothing that happens outside His plans, which are always more wonderful, beautiful and miraculous than I could have ever imagined or asked for.

Monday, June 7, 2010

5. He Fell Asleep


The first night Christy and I spent in our very first house, I didn’t sleep. Have you ever gone to bed so tired and so thankful for a chance to sleep, only to hear a creepy noise that sort of scares you and keeps you awake? No matter how tired you are, you can’t really sleep when you’re afraid. One night, Jesus told His disciples to get in a boat because He said they were all going to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. On their way across, a huge storm broke out, tossing the boat and filling it with water, almost taking it under. The Disciples were losing their minds, panicked and terrified, but Jesus was asleep in the boat. They all thought they were about to die, but Jesus wasn’t even paying attention to the storm. I love Jesus because He fell asleep. He said they were going to the other side, so they were going to make it to the other side. What if all of the disciples had just trusted His words enough to fall asleep? What if I trusted Jesus enough to relax through my storms and just let Him keep His promises?

Monday, May 31, 2010

4. He Met Nicodemus at Night


The Apostle John was a bit of a poet. He didn’t just write a biography of Jesus’ life, but managed to piece together the facts so that they told the story like a beautiful work of art. As a poet, words were important to John and he never wasted them.  Words like ‘water,’ ‘blood,’ ‘light,’ and ‘darkness’ were used to tell the story and at the same time to emphasize the meaning of the events. John points out that the Pharisee Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. That’s important. Later on in chapter 19, Nicodemus is again mentioned and John reminds us that this man came to talk to Jesus when it was dark and when everyone else was asleep. John is telling us something about this man... The Pharisees didn’t like Jesus and they denounced anyone who had anything to do with Him, but Nicodemus was curious. He wanted to know more about Jesus, but He must have been afraid of his peers. I love Jesus because He didn’t force Nicodemus to stand up in broad daylight in front of His friends and come to Him. No, Jesus met Nicodemus where he was. He wants us as we are, not as we could be or will be. He loves the real us.

Friday, March 26, 2010

3. He Cried Anyway

When Jesus received the letter from Martha and Mary saying that their brother Lazarus was sick, He already knew what He was going to do. While Martha and Mary watched their brother decline, Jesus already knew what He was going to do. I bet those sisters paced the floor and watched the driveway, just waiting for Jesus to arrive... Why wasn’t He coming? When Jesus finally did arrive, Lazarus had been dead four days and though the sisters were hurting deeply, Jesus already knew what He was going to do. He already knew that He was about to turn a funeral into a fiesta! He knew that in just a moment, tears of joy would eclipse tears of despair; and yet, He cried. If I knew I was about to do what He did, I wouldn’t be able to work up any tears, but Jesus did. Why? Because Mary was crying and Jesus loved her and her broken heart. Oh, the depth and tenderness of the heart of God! I love Jesus because He already knows what rapturous joys await us in heaven at the final resurrection and yet, He cries our tears with us now, simply because He loves us.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

2. He's Coming Back For Us


Has your life ever become such a mess that you thought it was hopeless and you sort of wished it was over? Have you ever been so overwhelmed by the problems right in front of you that you wished that you could call a time out or just get air-lifted out of your own life? What if you had a secret that could help you make it through times like that? During Jesus’ last night on earth, His disciples were freaking out. They had left their homes, their families, their friends, their jobs and their whole lives to follow Jesus. They had put all their eggs in this one basket, and now Jesus was about to leave them to go to a place where they couldn’t follow. He saw the fear and panic in their eyes, but He said, “Don’t be troubled.” He had a secret. He was going to make them a place, which meant that He would come back to get them and bring them home with Him. In the midst of what was about to be the hardest night of His life, Jesus’ eyes were focused on a moment in the future He has always been looking forward to. On that dreadful night, He was thinking of us, and how excited He will be to bring us home with Him in the end. He stared straight through the terror of the cross and all of the passing centuries to see the moment where He would come back here for His treasure. That moment will happen. He is going to come back for us. That moment in the future is the secret that can help you get through today. Look straight through your troubles and hope in the promise.

Monday, March 22, 2010

1. He's Not of This World

Dang. Aren’t you just sick of this world?! I gotta tell you, I’m just about over this place. Aren’t you? Aren’t you just so completely tired of everything and everybody being about who is the skinniest, who is the hottest, who is the richest and who is the coolest? All this world cares about is who wins and who has the most money doing it. And look, when wealth and winning are what’s important, real people get pushed aside. This world doesn’t care about your heart. This world cares about the bottom line, period. The problem here is that unless you are the very best at something this world cares about, you don’t feel like you mean anything. According to the world, you only matter if you fit right in to all that material junk. But is that the way it should be? Do people only have value if they look a certain way or kick an inflatable ball really well or drop a cool beat that gets radio play? If only those folks matter, then what about the rest of us? Here’s the deal: this world may never tell you that you have value, but what if that doesn’t really matter? What if the One who invented and crafted this whole universe says that you matter to Him? And what if He said you have value just because He loves you? Well, if that’s true, it changes everything. Jesus made everything that is. He made you and He says you’re valuable and lovable and that you mean everything to Him. Listen to this game-changer Jesus said once: “I am not of this world.” Now, that’s the kind of thing that could set someone free.