Just Passed the Cross

This week we start a journey and personal pilgrimage. In Advent, we journey to the manger but in the Lent season we journey to the cross. But that is not our ultimate destination. We must journey past the cross and to the empty tomb. I heard a story a few years ago about a Stations of the Cross Wilderness walk. This was a self-guided tour that had been some what neglected for years. One day a young man was going through the twelve stations of the cross and eventually arrived at the foot of the cross. It was there that the trail ended but he happened to look beyond the cross and see an old path that was grown over with weeds and brush. He decided to take the rarely traveled trail, making his way through the weeds and briers. Soon he came upon the thirteenth station which was an empty tomb. It was there that he realized that many people stop at the cross and never make their way to the empty tomb. But is that not the ultimate stop. If Jesus had only died on the cross he would have just been another martyr but instead he became the one that conquered death and gave us the opportunity for eternal life. I hope that this Lent Season you will travel with my just past the cross, down and old grown over path and rediscover the reason you fell in love with Jesus. That reason being because he first loved us.

Mountain Top Opportunites

A few years ago I got the opportunity to ride the world's tallest roller coaster. It was at Cedar Point, Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. This roller coaster is so high that if the wind is blowing more than 20 miles per hour then they have to shut the ride down. I remember standing in line and the building up of anticipation of riding the Magnum XL-2000. This coaster has a 205 foot drop and travels at speeds of up to 72 miles per hour. Not only was I going to ride the monstrosity of a coaster but I was going to ride in the front car. I thought now this is going to be a Mountain Top experience. After all, I am a roller coaster enthusiast and this is a world class roller coaster. Now, I must tell you this was one wicked ride but to be honest it was over in the blink of an eye. Today, we see a story of a mountain top experience, a time that was shared with Jesus' closet of friends. But it was over way to fast. It was such and experience that Peter asked if the could just pitch tents and stay there forever. You know so often life is like the story of the transfiguration or the story of my ride upon the Magnum XL-2000. But lets face it our mountain top experiences are limited and are often way to short, most of our lives are mundane and repetitive with daily chores, task and jobs. Most of the time we are far more comfortable in the routine than we are on the mountain top. Do you remember when you were growing up and you could not wait to cut the grass or to cook for the family? Do you remember when you could not wait to join the work force or to complete your degree? But you know all of those things are no longer highlights but are repetitive chores that we may even now dread doing. We worked so hard to climb the corporate ladder only to find out that it was not the rush or the pinnacle that we expected. SO often we asked the question is this all that the top has to offer. Then there are times when we receive a rush from being on top but it is short lived as we realize the responsibilities that come along with being at the top. So what did the disciples really take from there mountain top experience? What can we learn from our mountain top experience that will help us with the daily grind? Why did Jesus want them to keep this experience to themselves until after his departure? This week we will explore these questions and come to the realization that even though we can not stay at the top we can take what is learned there along with us. We will see that there is a sense of being transfigured at the top of that mountain but that some people will have to experience it for themselves to realize what it truly means.

Coming Clean

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: "See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

To be made clean means something much different than "coming clean". To "come clean" means that you have done something wrong and you are admitting to your fault. To be made clean means that someone has done something for you that you could not do yourself. In today's Scripture was a man that had the most dreaded disease of that time. You could equate Leprosy or Hansen disease with the AIDS epidemic today. It not only wrecked a person but made that person unclean and alienated from his family and community. It actually made the person feel cut off from society and from God. These people were not allowed to worship or to be around people that were religious. These people were unclean. They were required to wear a cow bell around their neck in order to let people know they were in the area. Everywhere they went they were not only labeled unclean but they were reminded that they were unclean. But Jesus changed all that. He cleansed the man and reinstated him but the man cared more about coming clean than he did being made clean. This story has a real twist in the end. make sure you are in worship this week as we see how we should respond when we are made clean.
Now you may be saying to yourself but I am not in need of being made clean. Now well this week may bring you to the realization that you do need a cleansing and Jesus is willing to give you that opportunity. To be made clean is to become whole again.

'Charis"=Grace

When we catch someone doing something wrong what is the first thing that we are inclined to do? We want to correct them or to tell on them. We some how hope that they will get caught or get what they deserve. That is kind of the mantra in our home between my two girls. My two girls that are so close in age are always quick to correct one another. This comes from a competitive nature and a natural longing to be first and the most loved. They are always telling on one another and trying to get each other in trouble. They rarely ever show each other mercy or share grace. You know that is kind of human nature. We are not quick to extend grace because most often we are not willing to accept grace. To be let off of the hook. A few weeks ago I was pulled over for speeding but the policeman recognized me as being a pastor. He said to me, "I do not give pastor's tickets". In all honest, I deserved a ticket but I was shown grace. Did I deserve it? No, I must abide by the law the same as anyone else but this day the policeman extended Grace and I accepted it. This week we will examine a scripture that is about Christ not casting judgement but about him giving grace and calling all of those around him to do the same. Forgiveness is just a part of what we must do as Christians but it does not come easy or natural. He live by that I hope they get what they deserve motto. For some this may even be our mission statement. We gossip and back bite in hopes that the attention is diverted from us and put off on others.
The women was set up and then taken to the feet of Jesus for an exhibition of public stoning. But the king of all kings and judge of all Judges turns the whole thing around and points to the crowd. He calls for Grace and mercy and then he begins to write of the ground. What did he write on the ground? No one knows but I think that he wrote, "Charis". The Greek word for grace. But whatever he wrote that day taught all those around that grace is not deserved but freely given. Join us this week as we take a closer look at "Charis". Who knows you may decide to extend grace.