Starting Over

Starting Over

          Last Sunday I taught children's church and missed the sermon. I went back a few weeks into my sketchbook for this one from Evan Westburg. His theme was about starting over.

          One of his illustrations was a story of Peter. The disciple known for jumping in without thinking. For reacting first and not always getting it right. In other words he had no filter. What came into his mind came out his mouth, or into action. No, "Let's think about this first."

          Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him three times before the cock crowed. Peter knew he wouldn't. No he couldn't. But he did. After Jesus had been arrested Peter sat by a fire outside the palace of the high priests. Three times someone came to Peter and asked, "Aren't you one of Jesus disciples?" Three times he denied he knew Jesus. As the cock crowed Peter wept bitterly.

          After Jesus rose from the dead He walked along the shore where the disciples were fishing. When Peter realized he saw Jesus he dove into the water and didn't even wait for the boat to get there. This is where, over a blazing fire as their fish cooked, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him.  Peter answered that of course he did. Jesus said "Then feed my sheep." This Jesus repeated three times. Jesus gave Peter the chance to start over. To forget his mistakes, be forgiven, and begin again.

          

Exodus 14

A BUG! PANIC!

I recently spent time with my little friend, Ellia. She is Pastor Evan's  youngest daughter. I was in the hallway at church when she and her mom popped out of Pastor Greg's office in a hurry.

Ellia, known for her quiet, fragile voice was shouting, "A bug!! I see a bug! I don't like bugs. Mommy, I don't like bugs!" 


Crying, she came over to me and in her small, frightened voice she said, "Faye, I'm scared of bugs. We saw a spider. I don't like bugs." 

Using my stand-by distraction method, I said, "I don't either, but I like Lady Bugs. They're okay,  right? They 're cute."

"Aaaaahhhhhh!!!!" Ellia hurried into her daddy's office.

Mommy said, "I'm sorry. Ellia is very afraid of any kind of bugs. Even cute ones."

Daddy calmed her crying. "Don't be afraid," he told  her and  helped her to stand firm. In his hug of assurance he helped her to be still and quieted the panic.

But when it was time for me to leave, and she came out of Daddy's office to hug me good-by she whispered fearful words into my ear. "A bug, Faye, I saw a bug. I'm scared of bugs."

She hadn't moved on and I realized she was still caught up in her fear. I whispered back, "The bugs are all gone now, Ellia."

"The bugs are all gone?"

"Yes"

She smiled and ran back to mom with a happy voice. "The bugs are gone, Mommy. They are all gone!"

Today's pencil preaching is from Greg Ralston's sermon last week. He began by setting the scene of the original Passover event. The part where the blood of the sacrificial lamb is placed on the doorposts. The top part and the two sides of the door. The angel of death then passes over  the homes of these people.  Greg reminded us that if we draw a line from top to bottom and side to side, this forms a cross.

Then, as in Ellia's story, the Israelites went through the same range of emotions as she did.

Panic, as they came to the Red Sea. "Why didn't we just stay in Egypt? It's better than dying in the dessert."

Moses told them, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. ¹⁴ The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Moses' words helped, some. It did stop their panic, but they didn't moved on from the fear.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. ¹⁶ Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground." 

When you are faced with a situation of panic listen to the word of God from the many places in the Bible where He says, "Don't be afraid." Then instead of rushing about with frantic urgency, stand firm on God's promises. Be still and listen for what to do next. Then don't get stuck in that fear. Take a step, and then another, and allow yourself to move on.

Cristus Victor

Cristus Victor

Imagine, in a blink everyone gets it. Jesus is Christ. He is the Lord, the Messiah. Those who thought they knew Him, but didn't except Him, will know. Those who hated Him, will know. Even those who never heard of Him will understand. Those that refused to believe He even existed will realize that they missed it. Everything will all make sense.                                                                       

Greg Ralston preached on the verses that spoke about the end times. In Philippians2:9-11 it tells us:

⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

At that future moment everyone will know and understand. But in the here and now we need to work at loving, sharing, and proclaiming the love of God to everyone. How much is literal in our interpretations of what it will look like? I don't know, but to me one thing is clear.  Those of who know Jesus Christ need to be a force of love and witness to everyone we can. Not criticizing or demanding, but getting the message of the Gospel out in way that draws people to Jesus. To send out a scent of love and caring that is so strong and enticingly pleasant that they will want to find out more.                                                                                         

Revelation 7:9: After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

   “Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

These people were martyrs during the great tribulation. Those that gave their life to Christ, literally. They lived for Christ proclaiming God's love and died refusing to  deny their belief and love for Him. Later in that chapter it speaks of God wiping all the tears from their eyes. I wonder if their tears are for the people they could not convince, or could not reach with the message of God's love?

Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday

Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday

          Palms swishing as the people fan them over their heads. Children running in front to lay down branches and cloaks. The clop of donkey hoofs and shouts of "Hosanna" and "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." mingle in the air.

          He sees their joy. He watches their faces as they praise their Messiah. He is caught up in this moment with His children and yet knowing what is to follow in the days ahead. Already seeing the pain on His mother's face. The weight of the cross bearing on his shoulders as He carries it through these same streets.

          He knows the sorrow His disciples will face as they wait the three days of excruciating grief. But joy will come when, with the power of atoms splitting,  a  jolt will revive His lifeless body with the soul of God and He will rise from the dead.

          Palm Sunday leads to the cross, but joy comes in the morning as Resurrection Sunday rises and the tomb is empty.