Hypocrites

This is just a question for those of you in blogger land. What comes to your mind when I say "hypocrite?" Think about that word in a Christian context. What are your feelings? Do you have any stories?

I've got some thoughts that I want to share early next week, but I wanted to give you a chance to be thinking about hypocrisy and the Church.

Better Half

Ok, so both of you who read this (my wife and you) might have noticed that I haven't done a post for a few days. The truth is that I haven't had much inspiration to write about. It is a pretty busy month in my life right now. Our church is also preparing to move into a new building which is adding stress. Finally I haven't done a youth group in a couple weeks. This has all been a recipe for spiritual stagnation....thus a lack of inspiration...a lack of Blogging.

Do you ever get to that place? The place where you feel like your prayers are hitting a ceiling? Where the Bible just isn't speaking to you and isn't making sense? That is where I am. Now, I'm not "loosing my faith." I know that God hasn't removed me from His presence. I know that He is still right beside me...but I still feel so dry.

In this desert place I am thankful for someone who can challenge me spiritually and encourage me...Recently I was wanting to do something. I hadn't prayed about it, but I wanted to do it anyway. My wife asked me if I had prayed about it. I felt shame as I had to truthfully answer her, "I'm too mad to pray about it." Without her saying anything else, her question continued to penetrate my heart and point me to the truth that whether I was willing to admit it or not, I was in the middle of a spiritual desert and I was withering from thirst.

I am thankful that I have people in my life who can challenge me out of love. I hope that we can grow as a group to get to the point that we can challege each other; not with words of condemnation, but with simple words of encouragement.

How much have you talked with God today?

Easter Symbolism

I know that one of our favorite hobbies is trying to connect everything on Lost. We are amazed as the characters weave in and out of each others lives. We love the symbolism that we can see...how things that happened years earlier had pointed toward this island. Well in that spirit I'm doing this weeks blog. The symbolism of Easter makes Lost look like a children's book. I'll admit up front that I don't understand everything that happened, but if you enjoy making connections and want to do some deep thinking keep reading. For everyone else...check back next week.

First the flash back:
The Jewish people are special to God (to find out why read Genesis chapter 12). They are living as slaves in Egypt. God decides to rescue them and free them from their bondage which will eventually lead to their death. In Exodus chapter 12 God gives the Jewish people some instructions. They are to select a perfect lamb (no faults, no broken bones...). They are to take care of the lamb for 4 days and then they are to kill the lamb. They are to take some of the lambs blood and put it on the doorway of their house. At midnight God would send angels to kill the firstborn child of everyone in Egypt (to convince the king of Egypt to release the Jews from slavery). There was a catch though. The angels would not kill anyone who had the blood of the lamb on their doorway. The next day the king was convinced and the Jewish people were free.

Every year since the Jewish people have celebrated Passover as a way to remember this event. Several thousand years later Jesus goes to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. This is what happened:

What Easter means: (flashbacks)
We are all special to God (to find out why read Psalm 139).
(the Jews were special to God too)

But we are living as slaves to sin. Eventually this sin will lead to our death.
(the Jews were slaves and would die)

So God decided to set us free.
(God decided to set the Jews free)

Thus comes Palm Sunday (read John chapter 12).

Jesus (often refered to as the Lamb...also lived a perfect life) enters Jerusalem and the people are praising him and proclaiming him king.
This was probably the same day that Jewish families would be selecting their perfect lamb for passover.

Jesus stayed in Jerusalem for a few days.
These were the same days that the Jewish families were taking care of their lambs.

After a few days Jesus was arrested, and killed on a cross. His blood would have made marks on the wooden cross.
Meanwhile the Jewish people would have been killing their lambs.

The sacrifce that Jesus made (symbolized by blood on the cross) has made a way for us to escape from the sin that will lead to our death. How do we escape- believe in Jesus and change our heart deciding to follow him instead of our sin.
(When the king changed his heart and decided to listen to God, the Jewish people were freed from their slavery)

Wow! Congratulations if you made it through all that!

Why does this matter? It gives me a renewed appreciation for the creativity and authority of God. Every detail matters. Also it has greatly changed my view of Palm Sunday. Jesus must have been so sad as he realized that while the people were cheering him, they were unknowingly selecting Him as their passover lamb.

What do you think? Any questions?

Desire

How bad to you hunger for the Word of God? How much do you desire to be in His presence? Most of us have probably heard stories of people in Africa who have to "walk 10 miles to a neighboring village to go to church." Honestly, these stories rarely impact me...they seem too far away. After all here in America it is not that hard. We rarely would have to walk 10 blocks to find a church. It is easy for us. Unfortunately this sometimes leads to apathy on our part...

The game is on late tonight...I'll just sleep in through church tomorrow
It has been a rough week...I just need to relax Sunday morning
My friend/parents/spouse can't go today...so I'll just stay home too
Next week is going to be super busy...I need to get extra rest today
I'm tired...I'll sleep in instead of getting up to read my Bible

This blog is NOT pointed at anyone...except maybe me...I'm not trying to preach...but just keep reading.

Yesterday I had the privledge of sitting next to Mike S. in church. Mike inspired me yesterday...and he shamed me at the same time. I had slightly grumbled about having to "wake up an hour early" due to the time change. I had eaten a good breakfast and then drove the 2 miles to church arriving pretty early (25 minutes early) so that I could talk to people. I was feeling good about myself.

Mike was also there...though he had arrived a bit earlier...1:30 am to be exact. Mike lives about 13 miles away from our church. His car broke down this week, but Mike was not going to let that keep him from church. So, at 8:00 on Saturday night Mike started to walk. He arrived at 1:30 and fell asleep in an entrance area outside our church.

And when I walked in to church he greeted me with a big smile.

Do I have that much desire? Do you?

Thank you for challenging me Mike.