Refrigerator Theology: What do we know for sure?

We live in a world filled with unclear messages. It would be good to gain some clarity when the message is unclear. The undisputed champion of muddled messages is Yogi Berra, Baseball Hall of Famer and former manager of the NY Yankees. Who at one point or another is quoted as having said:

- It ain’t over ‘til its over
- Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.
- Nobody goes there anymore; it’s too crowded.
- You got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.
- And there’s the time that a lady said to him, “Good afternoon, Mr. Berra. My, you look mighty cool today.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Yogi replied. “You don’t look so hot yourself.”

Sometimes things that get said are rather confusing, aren’t they? But our confusion doesn’t always stem from what someone says.

Sometimes we become confused simply because of our busy schedules and inadequate communication.

Take for example the story of a photographer for a national magazine who was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Wanting to take some aerial pictures, he asked his home office to hire a plane. They made the arrangements & told him to go at once to a nearby airport, where the plane would be waiting for him. When he arrived at the airport, there was a plane warming up by the runway. He jumped in with his equipment and yelled, “Let’s go! Let’s go!” The pilot swung the plane into the wind & they were soon in the air.

“Fly over the north side of the fire,” yelled the photographer, “and make 3 or 4 low level passes.”

“Why?” asked the pilot.

“Because I’m going to take pictures,” cried the photographer. “I’m a photographer and that’s we do!”

After a pause the pilot said, “You mean you’re not the flight instructor?”

We live in a time when our television screens are filled with competing political advertisements and disagreements about the economy and healthcare. Add to that competing and conflicting messages about deodorant, laundry detergent, and the best prices on groceries, we can be left to wonder – “Just what do we know for sure?”

In this day and age, sometimes it is difficult to know what is true and what is false. Surely there are some things we can count on, some things we can know for sure. Leads me to ask, when it comes to faith what do we know for sure?

The great preacher, John Wesley, once said, “When I was young I was sure of everything. But after a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before. And at present, I am hardly sure of anything except what God has revealed to me.”

First of all, like John Wesley, we can be sure when God has spoken. The Bible never speaks with timidity. The Bible never says. "It could be this," or "It could be that." In the Bible, God speaks with certainty. We see in our world the uncertainty of so many voices clamoring for our attention. We need to learn to trust this consistent and true voice.

God wants us to be confident, to know some things for sure, and that’s the reason the Bible speaks with such certainty. Uncertainty leads to destruction, but certainty leads to confidence and courage. John wanted for those with faith to also have certainty and confidence. John had experienced Jesus first hand and wanted to share the certainty that he had with others.

I John 1:5 God is light

In a world filled with darkness, God illuminates everything. The dark is dark because of the light. When all is focused on the darkness – the news, the conversation, the fear, the worry, we need to remember that God is light and that is certain. And we who know the light need not fear the dark.

I John 4:7-10,16b God is love

In a world that is all too often cold and heartless, God brings love and warmth. The world is not in need of a little love. The world needs a whole lot of love. In our lives we each long to know the kind of love that is unconditional. God offers that love. God loves you as you are. God loves you so much He gave His Son’s life for you.

I John 5:11-13 God is life

We are all appointed a time to be born and a time to die. There is nothing of this world that you will take into the next. God is life and brings life. God promises life eternal to those that will believe. That is certain.

In those moments when we search for meaning or when we lack confidence . . .

or When we struggle to find anything that is certain

or When life makes no sense

or When the world is dark and lonely

or When the news isn’t good

or When the world is cold and heartless

or when friends disappear

or when life seems fragile

or when the answers are hard to find

or when nothing seems to make sense,

We must remember these certain truths: God is light. God is Love. God is Life

John was certain of these things. He had walked with Jesus and he was still confident years later. This letter was his testimony to that which he was confident. That which he knew for sure . . . God is light. God is Love. God is Life

What do you know for sure?

Only you can decide what you will believe. Maybe you’re already confident in that which you believe.

Or maybe you are still trying to figure out this whole faith thing . . .

Maybe you are still searching.

For those that seek . . . Jesus offers light, offers love, and He offers life.

Like John of that I am confident.

On the Way to Sunday . . . Eating Leftovers

Admit it. We have all been there at some point - standing in front of the open refrigerator - staring blankly at all that is before us. We stand waiting for something to jump out and quench our thirst or our fill our hunger. But alas, after a prolonged silence and soft sigh, we shut the door and declare, "There is nothing to eat or drink!" From our perspective, it is as if this is what we saw:

So here is the interesting thought that struck me last night as I stood in front of my open and full refrigerator and declared, "There is nothing here!"

As foolish as that was, I wondered if that is how I look when I pass the plate at a church and say, "I have nothing to give."

My life must look pretty full from God's perspective - for that matter my life must look pretty full compared to must of the people in the world!

And yet, how often have I closed the door on my finances and determined that I have nothing to give.

I need some perspective.  Perhaps I have spent too much time looking at all that I have that it no longer seems like much?  Next time the plate is passed at church or a charity asks for some help ... take another look at all that you have and perhaps there is something you have to give.

And please be considerate ... God is not looking for your leftovers any more than you are ... probably why God asked for your first fruits to begin with!

“As it is also written in the Law, we will bring the firstborn of our sons and of our cattle, of our herds and of our flocks to the house of our God, to the priests ministering there. Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. 
  Nehemiah 10:36-37 NIV

Gain some perspective at the refrigerator this week and then plan to share with others the abundance you have been so richly blessed with . . .

I'll be eating some leftovers this week, but I'll be bringing some first fruits on Sunday!

See you then . . .  

On the Way to Sunday . . . What do we really know?

What do you know for sure?

Try making a list of the things you know for sure . . . Not an easy task.

Are sure about all the things on your list? Are you really?

When it comes to your faith, what do you know for sure?

There is so much debate in Christian circles today regarding what the Bible says for sure.  One is left to wonder, "What can we know for sure?"

John Wesley, once said, “When I was young I was sure of everything. But after a few years, having been mistaken a a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before. And at present, I am hardly sure of anything except what God has revealed to me.”

When it comes to developing our faith a series of stages of faith development was proposed by Dr. James W. Fowler in his book Stages of Faith. Part of the premise of the development of faith proposed by Fowler is that in order to advance your faith you must first question all that you previously believed. Each growth of faith is predicated by asking, "What do I know for sure?"

Growing our faith then is less about setting our feet in concrete, but more about wading into the mud.

That said, I still believe there are some things that we can know for sure and that will always remain constant.  Maybe you can discover them like I have in I John.

See you Sunday . . . well if there is one . . .

Refrigerator Theology: Catchin' Flies . . .

Titus is among the shortest books in the Bible, but just like a small post-it-note they can be big reminders of very important things. I prefer to think of them as post-it-notes – or slogans – something you might find on any refrigerator in any home.

Titus 1:1 identifies the apostle Paul as the author of the letter. The letter to Titus was written about A.D. 66. The letter was written to encourage Titus in the faith. Paul had left him in Crete to lead the church which Paul had established on one of his missionary journeys (Titus 1:5). How wonderful it must have been when Titus received this letter from his mentor and read: “To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior” (Titus 1:4).

The island of Crete where Titus was left by Paul to lead the church was inhabited by island natives and Jews who had not heard the truth of Jesus Christ (Titus 1:12-14). Paul felt it to be his responsibility to follow through with Titus to instruct and encourage him in developing the church at Crete. Paul directed Titus in his search for leaders. Paul also suggested how Titus should instruct the leaders so that they could grow in their faith in Christ and grow in their numbers (Titus 2:1-8).

For just a moment, I want you to think back to your worship service for Easter. Think about the experience you had on that day of worship. What a great Sunday! What a great crowd! Why are the crowds smaller today?

What was so attractive then that is not as attractive today? Did we miss the post-it-notes on the bathroom mirror? Did we forget to brush our teeth – smile – use deodorant – shower! Did we not make it attractive enough within the church last week? Should I preach a gospel of Health and Wealth? Should we have said, “Come as you are – NO commitment required?” We have Free Gifts!

One of the biggest excuses the world uses to rationalize why they don’t come to church is: “I don’t go to church because it’s full of hypocrites.” There is probably no greater a curse on the church than that. Note that the world is not so much turned off by what we preach, but rather they are turned off by the fact we don’t practice what we preach.

Titus was having a similar problem in Crete. Apparently after some early success the church was not growing and the gospel was losing its appeal. Paul writes Titus to help him understand the problem in Crete. He also lets Titus know that he will need to work to make the gospel more attractive.

Paul then outlines what he believes will make the Gospel message more attractive. The instruction to Titus is every bit as relevant for us today.

Paul begins by reminding us that faith must be personal.

We must be able to personally give a response to what it means to be Christian. The world has the notion that Christians are claiming to be perfect people who never break the rules and are always looking down their noses at people who don’t act like they do.

But when one becomes a Christian he is not saying they are perfect. In fact, to be a Christian one must admit they are not perfect. The definition of a Christian is one who admits he is a sinner and is working by the grace of God to be better.

The answer to what it means to be a follower of Christ is not found by letting someone else speak on your behalf. We must be able to answer clearly for the faith we claim. We must own our faith as our own – not our parents – our church – our pastor – the media – or anyone else.

It is personal and if we are to make this faith our own, Paul instructs us to find a good Biblical model and study it. We should make the study of sound doctrine personal priority (Titus 2:1).

Paul also lets us know that our faith must become personal to others.

We must allow ourselves to be inconvenienced for the sake of others. We need to seek to cooperate and assist others around you by being a representative of Christ’s grace on the earth. We must be willing to become involved in other’s lives.

Paul instructs Titus to have the older women instruct (get involved with) the younger women (Titus 2:3-4). He instructs him to see that this happens because it was not happening and this is also not happening today. But make no mistake this is not just a women’s issue.

This is true with our men, our youth, and our children. We do not have the volunteers willing to commit themselves to the next generation. We do not have the people committed to the work of faith. No wonder today’s church is becoming less significant. Who wants to be involved with something that no one else is committed to? “It’s a good thing – so you do it. It’s just not for me.” – That won’t work!

Finally, Paul instructs Titus to get people involved in doing good in their community (Titus 3:14).

William Barclay, the theologian, once stated, “A man’s message will always be viewed in context with his character.” In other words, your message won’t mean squat if your actions don’t make it real. Titus 1:16 points out the real problem, “They claim to know God, but by their actions deny Him.”

Sometimes we make the mistake of attending to things of God, studying good doctrine, and promoting good works, but we fail to see the connection to our everyday lives. “In everything set the world an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about you” (Titus 2:7-8).

We need to show the world that there are Christians who are for real. We will attract people when we can show them that faith creates people that are desirable.

It would seem to me that nearly 2000 years later we seemed to be repeating the same mistakes of the early church in Crete. Today the church is becoming known as just another political party. We as Christians are known more for what we are against - than what we are for - and we spend so much time commenting and complaining about things that have nothing to do with the gospel that people are getting confused about just what it means to be a Christian in today’s society.

So we claim to be Christian and we show up at church to get something that makes us feel better for the moment so that we can return to our everyday lives come Sunday afternoon.

Jesus Himself said that the one thing that should set us apart - the thing that non-believers should comment on when asked about Christians is this: love. "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35).

If we want to make the gospel message more attractive, then we must learn to live lives of authenticity and character. The message of Christ will become meaningless and irrelevant if we forget that which we have been taught: God loves you. Jesus died for your sins and then rose from the dead so that how you live your faith would matter!

Jesus is alive and people today want to see Him. People want to believe in Jesus as much as Thomas did 2000 years ago when he said “I won’t believe until I can touch the hands and side of Christ.”

People! We are the hands of Christ! We who are filled with the Holy Spirit are the Body of Christ.

If we want the Gospel to be more attractive, If we want the Church to be more attractive, If we want to see more people come to know Jesus, if we want the church filled every Sunday like it is on Easter and Christmas then we must be willing to take on the responsibility of being Jesus in this world.

We must show grace and mercy. We must show kindness and humility. We must be willing to love as Jesus loved us.

St. Frances of Assisi once said, “Preach the gospel and if necessary use words.”

When we become the people that God has called us to be, there will not be enough room in this place to hold the people that will come wanting what you have!

There once was a rather pompous-looking gentleman who was endeavoring to impress upon a Sunday School Class of young boys the importance of living the Christian life. He asked them, "Why do people call me a Christian?” After a moment’s pause, one young boy raised his hand and said, "Sir, maybe it’s because they don’t know you."

How well do people know you?

On the way to Sunday . . . Catchin' Flies

A refrigerator magnet or fridge magnet is an ornament, often whimsical, attached to a small magnet, which is used to post items such as shopping lists, child art or reminders on a refrigerator door, or which simply serves as decoration. Refrigerator magnets come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including thin die cut forms the thickness of heavy card stock, and may have promotional messages placed on them. Refrigerator magnets are a relatively popular collectable object. (thanks wikipedia)

Perhaps you have one of these at home on your refrigerator.

When I was much younger I used to collect magnets. In college my dorm refrigerator was plastered with every type of magnet imaginable. It's amazing the philosophy and/or theology that is espoused on the refrigerators of America.

It started with those silly letters that helped us in school and now those colorful letters have now evolved into words:


The problem with messages on the refrigerator is that they are most often dishonest. We only put things on the 'fridge that want people to see. We hide the rest.

While the note says, we are out of milk. It doesn't say, the milk we have is curdled and is hiding behind what I think was a piece of meatloaf.

I fear we have done the same thing with our faith. We put on display all that we think is attractive and looks appealing while refusing to talk about the moldy cheese in the back.

What if in life we just got rid of the slogans and 'trite sayings and actually began to share our lives (the real stories) with one another?

What might happen?

Got any moldy cheese you want to talk about?

It's okay. I promise I won't respond with an overused slogan.

See you Sunday!

I'll be the one with the bag of garbage from cleaning out my own refrigerator.



For a great read on cleaning out your refrigerator click here.

You're Invited: For some more of the usual

A recent study reported in the Harvard Business Review (Sept 2011) has sparked an idea that could improve the customer experience for many restaurants. The study indicated that 66% of students observed in lecture halls over a six week period chose the same seat, or an adjacent one, every time. The study entitled “Territorial Behavior in Public Settings” suggests that restaurants could boost satisfaction by giving repeat customers the same table on each visit. You can read more about this study here.

The truth of the matter is we all like the routine. It is why it is so hard to change our habits especially the bad ones. It is our need for routine or “the usual” that brings us to today. It also brings the disciples to this day. We can identify with the disciples on that Easter morning… the joy and the excitement of the experience. But Easter was not the glorious event for them that it was for us. Their whole community did not get together and dress up and host family gatherings. Easter lilies did not fill their homes with sweet aromas. They didn’t hunt eggs or get a visit from the Easter bunny.

Here we are, a week after Easter. The excitement has subsided. Easter Sunday is a distant memory. And for most of us this past week has tempted us to go back to where you were. It has tempted us to go back to who you were. It has tempted us to go back to what you were doing. And all of that was also true for the disciples.

Imagine if you would what it must have been like that for the disciples after that first Easter Sunday. None of them had actually seen the resurrection. They had heard the reports about the empty tomb; a couple of them had seen a mysterious stranger on the road to Emmaus, who appeared to be Jesus. Peter and the others had seen Him but for a brief time. Things were now quickly returning to normal – the usual.

For them Easter began with the emotion of fear. It began with the cry of defeat and mourning. We have developed a day of sweet celebration, all the while forgetting that Easter began basically with frightening events, an earthquake, a stone rolled away, a bright unknown messenger, and the fear that the body of Jesus had been stolen.

For the disciples the week after Easter strangely looked pretty much the same as it had looked before they had gone through the ordeal of the arrest, trial, crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus. Things looked like everything went back to the way it was before they had met Christ.

Think about it for a moment. Before Easter, more concerned with their own status, they argued over who was the greatest. They were bad students as they rarely understood what Jesus was saying. His parables confused them. When he walked on the water, they didn’t recognize Him. They never really seemed to understand what was happening.

On Friday, Jesus died. The disciples scattered. They were told that this was going to happen, but they did not understand. Then, Jesus appears, alive! They are apprehensively joyful. They are hesitantly hopeful. Now, HE is gone… and they are wandering by the Sea of Galilee. There are no more appearances. Jesus is gone. And so they the disciples are tempted to go back to where they were. They are tempted to go back to who they were. They are tempted to go back to what they were. They were tempted to let things get back to normal. They were seeking “the usual.”

“Simon Peter told them, "I’m going fishing" (John 21:3a).

Peter was ready to quit and just go back to what he had done before - fishing. The other disciples were as dismayed as he and said, “Hey, we will go with you” (John 21:3b).

When Peter said “I am going fishing” what he was really saying was “It’s over. It was a great run, but it is over. There is nothing left but to go back home, back to the old life, back to the way life was before. It’s back to the usual.”

What he did not express out loud was “Fishing will never be like being with Jesus. Nothing can ever be like that again. I will be sick, remembering how things were. Life will be empty and meaningless. Fishing - just catching dumb fish. What kind of life is that? I would have been better off if Jesus had never come. At least back then, before He came life was good. But now, after being with Him, everything else seems pointless.”

There they are Peter and the other disciples fishing - back to the usual. For years they had fished, making their living, providing for their families. Now they were doing what they were good at. They fished for the whole night. They caught nothing, not one little fish. Did you notice that their return to the routine didn’t improve their situation?

Can you imagine the scene on that boat? Look at Peter. Look at his face. What do you see? Do you think he is happy? Does the smell of the sea and salt and fish invigorate him? Is he laughing? Does it feel like homecoming? What about John? James? The others? Absolutely Not! These are defeated men in the boat. But things are about to change, early in the morning, through the morning mist, a man calls out from the shore, "Do you have any fish?"

Now there is more to this question than it appears. Jesus knew his disciples better than they knew themselves. He might as well have asked, "Are you happy? Is your work giving you joy? Do you really want to go back… back to how things were?”

Jesus might even ask you today, "Friends, do you have any fish? Are you happy? Is your work giving you joy? Is there joy in your home… work… family?”

"No" was the disciple’s answer and for many of us here, “No” would be our answer too. And sadly for most Christians that is right where we are stuck. After Easter we are back to where we were - living for ourselves with no sense of God’s presence. It seems like Jesus is at best far away or worse He is just gone. Life is hard, temptations abound, doing spiritual things seems tedious and they bring no joy, you are left feeling powerless to do the things you know you should. Life is just empty and hopeless.

The problem is this: after you have experienced new life with Christ, you cannot go back to where you were. You cannot go back to who you were. You cannot go back to what you were.

For too many of us, Easter was a day of great fun, but now I’ll go back to “my usual.” That is where the disciples were - back on the boat – back to the usual - hopeless and joyless - living life as if Jesus was still in the grave.

For many of you this past week after Easter was probably like it was for the disciples. The events of each day were ordinary – they were life as usual. This wasn’t the first time the disciples had gone fishing. Unfortunately it wasn’t even the first time they hadn’t caught anything. It was for them a usual day. The kind of day they had had many times before. But in the midst of the usual, this day became something more. Why?

Because Jesus broke into the routine and made it better!
That is what it means to have a relationship with Jesus.
Every day we need to be with Jesus. Every day!
It is not just a Sunday thing. It is not just an Easter thing.
Every day is to be a day with Jesus.

That is why Jesus came to them… That is why Jesus called out to them.
Jesus invited them once more to the table to dine with Him.
Breakfast was made.
It was time to be together.
It was time to sit down and talk.
It was time to enjoy some more of “the usual”.

This is why we are never without hope.
No matter how difficult our circumstances...
No matter what the crisis...
No matter how bad we have screwed it up...
No matter how mundane or routine the moment is...
Jesus still wants to be right there with us.

Every ordinary day… can be made extraordinary by simply taking time to spend some of it with Jesus.

That way, we can say in the darkness of any day, “It is the Lord!”
In the moments of our daily failures, we can say “It is the Lord!”
On the days when the nets are full and life is good we can say, “It is the Lord!”
In all the days of our life, in all the times we can say, “It is the Lord!”

It can be so easy to make Easter a moment in time and not a moment that changes time. Our experience with Christ should change our lives. After an encounter with Christ, you can’t just go back to your old way of life. Things should never be the same again. We shouldn’t be able to experience the resurrection and then just go back to the day to day lives we lead. Life should be different because of our encounter with Christ.

Did Easter change you, or are you back to the daily grind?

Jesus wants more from us than to just experience the joy of Easter morning.

He wants us to live changed lives!

He wants us to live the gift and grace of Easter morning every day.

On the way to Sunday . . . I'll have the usual

I'm not thirsty,
but I'm standing in line.
I'll have the usual
I'll have the usual

from John Hiat's song The Usual






The 2010 estimate, the most recent, says that 925 million people were undernourished in 2010. 925 million people is 13.6 percent of the estimated world population of 6.8 billion or almost 1 in 7 people are hungry. Nearly all of the undernourished are in developing countries. The number of hungry people has nearly doubled since 1995. The increase has been due to three factors: 1) neglect of agriculture relevant to very poor people by governments and international agencies 2) the current worldwide economic crisis and 3) the significant increase of food prices in the last several years which has been devastating to those with only a few dollars a day to spend.

Children are the most visible victims of under nutrition. Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year--five million deaths. Under nutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, including measles and malaria. The estimated proportions of deaths in which under nutrition is an underlying cause are roughly similar for diarrhea (61%), malaria (57%), pneumonia (52%), and measles (45%). Malnutrition can also be caused by diseases, such as the diseases that cause diarrhea, by reducing the body's ability to convert food into usable nutrients.



Simply put every 6 seconds a child dies in the world as a result of hunger related problems.

If that is the usual, then something should change.



Thankfully it can thanks to organizations like Kids Against Hunger.

You can join the cause. May 19th in Hagerstown, Indiana Kids Against Hunger will conduct a packing event. Our goal is to raise the funds and the volunteers to pack 40,000 meals to help the fight against hunger. Want to help? Contact me direct @ rodney.frieden@inumc.org

More information about the world hunger problem is available here.

You're Invited: Dinner for Two

Today, we come again to dine at a table, but this time with a stranger.

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, the stranger continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So the stranger went in to stay with them and have dinner. Luke 24:13-29 NIV

Now most of the time at Easter we talk about the story of Mary at the tomb or of Peter running to the tomb to see for himself or of Thomas saying I won’t believe until I see for myself. But today I want to talk about someone else because I think in many ways this person represents each of us gathered here.

Cleopas was knowledgeable about the stories of Jesus. He engaged in the discussion of spiritual matters. But on this Easter morning we find Cleopas still going in the wrong direction.

We are very much like Cleopas. We like to talk about matters of faith. We like to talk about spiritual things. We like to claim faith in God. Harris polls indicate 90% of Americans believe in God. But all the belief, all the discussion, all the reading, all the knowledge seems to have little effect on how we live and act.
Truth is with all we know and all that we believe we, like Cleopas, we are still headed in the wrong direction.

Here we are once again gathered on a Easter Morning, but I believe we have each gathered hoping that Easter will somehow be different this year. And it can be. On this Easter morning, Jesus is once again seeking to find someone to dine with Him at the table – perhaps it is you that has been invited to an intimate dinner for two!
That first Easter morning, Christ spoke with Cleopas as he was headed in the wrong direction. Jesus revealed to Cleopas that all the knowledge that he had was meaningless without the faith that would compel him to act differently.

In that moment, Cleopas was still too focused on the events of the past and as a result he was missing all that was available to him in the present. As their encounter together drew to a close, Jesus finds Himself once again in a familiar place – the table.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. Luke 24:30-31 NIV

It is during this simple act of breaking bread at the table that Cleopas realizes who this stranger is that has been speaking to him. It is Jesus. And in that moment of realization everything changes. Life has a new direction. (Rise from the table and read screen)

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. Luke 24:33-35 NIV

So, I invite you this day as Jesus did so long ago to come to the table and break the bread.

It is my prayer that this day you can see that all that has happened in the life of Christ, and in your life, was to bring you to this moment - to this table. The faith that has brought you to this place today matters - It matters beyond today. It matters always and forever.

As you come this day to this place, discover a new direction for your life ... direction filled with meaning and purpose ... direction that leads to the empty tomb ... direction that leads to the table.

In Revelation 3:20 CEB Jesus speaks and says,

Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me.


Come to the table and break the bread and see for yourself.

Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus the Messiah. Jesus your Savior.

On the way to Easter Sunday . . . A Farewell Dinner?

We have discovered this Lenten Season that Jesus was comfortable with people gathered around the table. Much of Jesus’ ministry was about bringing to the table all kinds of people – unexpected guests - outcasts – unacceptable – marginalized – normal people like you and me.


As we have come to this table, we have witnessed Jesus having a drink with a woman at the well. Jesus dining at the table with those that despised him most – the Pharisees. Jesus even ate at the table with the tax collectors and other sinners and the elite of the day complained! He fed thousands at a party on a hillside on at least two occasions and the crowds wanted more! And when the crowds came He welcomed them. Jesus welcomed everyone that came to sit at His table.

It seems fitting on this journey with Jesus that He would choose to spend His final evening of earthly ministry with His disciples at the table. This is sort of a farewell dinner, but it is not like most. The one leaving is hosting the party and although the guests don’t quite understand it ... yet ... the purpose of this evening is not to bring to an end the ministry of Christ, but rather it is to herald the beginning of a new feast, a new banquet.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25

Everyone is at the table this evening – yes – even Judas is at this table – we should never forget that all are at this table. This night at the table Jesus creates a new set of new rules for all that would come to this table:

1. All will be invited regardless of circumstances.
2. All will be given a chance to respond to the invitation regardless of their past.
3. The invitation to this table will be personal.

This table represents the Last Supper for Jesus as He promises:

Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Mark 14:25

It is important for us to remember that this invitation to the table is still being given today. Whether it is an invitation to come to the table again or for the very first time . . .

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26

You are invited to be a part of this table. Just as you are Jesus invites you to His table. Will you join Him?

I must caution you as you come to the table ... there is a temptation to want to linger at the table. There is a temptation to want to stay, but just as we come to the table Jesus beckons us to go. Go into the world and live the faith you have discovered while dining at His table.

On the way to Easter Sunday . . . Choosing Sides

Last evening I watched the movie Valkyie for the first time. Okay, I admit I am not real current on my movie watching. Plus it seems a bit odd to be writing about Hitler and WW II during Holy Week. Nevertheless, here we are. The film depicts the July 20, 1944 plot by German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and to use the Operation Valkyrie national emergency plan to take control of the country. As movies go it was okay, but it certainly provided a different view of the German people and many of the German soldiers.


As the attempted coup begins, I was fascinated by the courage that it took to choose a side. As one character puts it, "Choose carefully, you want to be on the winning side." Those that were found to be part of the coup (any part) were executed. In life and in war, it is rare that you can join the winning team after the fact. To be a part of the victory, you must declare before the war is over. That pretty much sums up much of our lives - in war or peace.

We like to be on the winning team. So we read the environment and we choose the side that is winning, but we usually wait until we know victory is in hand.

So, on Palm Sunday we grab a palm and join the parade. We cry out, "Hosanna! Make way for the King!" This guy looks like a winner.

Come Friday, we join another crowd and cry out, "Crucify!" Looks like this is a loser.

Choose carefully, you want to be on the winning team.

But despite how things looked, come Easter morning the tomb will be empty and victory will be won.

And here is the interesting part, Jesus doesn't ask which crowd you were part of ... He simply declares victory and asks, "Will you follow me?"

Good News! You can choose your side after the fight is over - after the victory is won.

Not sure, ask Saul. He use to fight against Christ and then changed teams. Ask Peter, he wavered and denied he even knew Christ this week. The disciples as whole scattered when opposition rose. But after Easter, they all came back to Jesus and became part of the history of the early church.

Jesus has won the victory! Join the team it is never too late.

You're Invited: Extravagant Dessert

Perhaps you are familiar with the expressions “the icing on the cake” or “the cherry on top.” They simply mean that something good is added to another good thing or the final touch or finish that makes something extra special. For me dessert is that final touch. Dessert can make even the most mundane meal special and certainly can make the most extravagant of meals more memorable.

Today we join Jesus at the table for a similar story of extravagant love and dessert after dinner in Mark 14:1-9.

Our story must been understood in the context of all that is going on around the city. A Jewish celebration called the Passover is about to happen in the city of Jerusalem. It is the biggest annual celebration of the year - which means that the city has ballooned in size from 50,000 people to several hundred thousand. This event put a lot of stress on the city of Jerusalem, but it also brought incredible excitement. Everybody was fired up because this celebration was the high point in the Jewish calendar, a time when they celebrated God’s faithfulness in their past. Why there was even a spontaneous parade of sorts at the start of the week!

With all that is going on in the city, no wonder Jesus and his friends are in Bethany, just a few miles away from Jerusalem. This was a chance to get away from the crowds and perhaps enjoy some time with friends before all that the week ahead will bring. He is at the home of Simon - reclining by the table eating supper.

Mark tells us that as the meal continued a woman entered the room with a jar full of very expensive perfume and begins to pour it on Jesus as if she was anointing Him. She walks in front of all the men while they're eating which by the way was culturally unacceptable. In that culture, women prepared the meal and then went into the other room to eat by themselves. So she is out of line just by entering the room. She then lets down her hair to wash Jesus' feet. Women were never supposed to do that in public. Letting down your hair only happened at home, she was now breaking Jewish law.

But this is Mary - who was a friend of Jesus until the end - Mary who had once been a prostitute – Mary who was seemingly always at the feet of Christ – Mary who always eager to learn more - Mary whose life had been transformed by the grace and love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. It is that Mary who without hesitation or embarrassment takes the alabaster jar, breaks the seal, and extravagantly pours the contents on Jesus' head and feet. As she pours, the tears begin to fall - tears of overwhelming love for this Man who had made such a difference in her life.

In this simple and profound act of devotion, Mary gave everything. She gave her hope and her future. She gave her greatest earthly treasure and she gave her reputation and herself in humble devotion and worship to Jesus. By breaking the jar - she withheld nothing from Him and expected nothing in return. John says "The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume." Think about that. This was the beginning of the last days of Jesus' life and the gift she gave - the fragrance of her perfume would go with Jesus. Wherever He would go, that fragrance would go with Him:

• To the garden of Gethsemene where He prayed
• To the court of the high priests
• To the presence of Pontias Pilate
• To the place where he was whipped and beaten
• the fragrance would be on the hands of those who gambled for His clothes at foot of the cross

Remember The expression the icing on the cake, the cherry on top. This act by Mary is the final touch for this evening at the table with Jesus. This is the extravagant dessert that will make this meal memorable – Jesus even says that this story will be told whenever the Gospel is presented. What this woman did is an essential part of the story of Jesus. Mary’s actions make this meal among friends so special that the story of her extravagance is still being told today. Why it is this action so important that this story has become part of the gospel message?

Mary had an intense affection and devotion for Jesus. We see that when she sits at Jesus' feet listening to him teach. She was a contemplative person who liked to think. In this action, she becomes an expressive person — expressive not in words but in actions. Her quiet nature did not prevent her from making a powerful statement. Her action becomes more powerful than words could have ever been.

But Mary’s action was not commanded. Nobody told her to do it. This was just something Mary took upon herself to do, and she did it out of love. Mary may have understood that Jesus was soon to die, but perhaps not. The disciples didn't understand that Jesus was going to die. If Mary had understood this, perhaps she would have saved the perfume for the actual burial. Instead, she seems to have poured the perfume on Jesus simply because she had an incredibly intense devotion to Jesus. She was overwhelmed with love.

Mary shows the heart we need for God is an intense personal devotion, a powerful dedication of ourselves to His service. This intensity of emotion is unusual, and like most unusual things, it is criticized. This kind of devotion was not within the ordinary range of acceptable behavior. Some people would call Mary eccentric, maybe even out of her right mind. Society says, “Don't get carried away with your emotions.” Mary did. Her social network criticized her. Jesus praised her. Society dictates, “Moderation in all things.” Mary was anything but moderate. Her cohorts criticized her. Jesus praised her. Her closest friends said this is wrong, but Jesus said, she is better than you all.

Many people today are concerned with right beliefs and right beliefs are good. We need them. Many people today are concerned with right behavior and right behavior is good. We need it, but we need something else, too, and that is something that Mary demonstrates for us. Mary reveals to us in her actions that our response is to Jesus is not to be rooted in what’s in our head, but rather what is in our hearts. Mary shows the heart we need for God is an intense personal devotion, a powerful dedication of ourselves to His service.

Now this was some incredibly expensive perfume and Mary could have sold it for a considerable amount. Mark tells us it was worth about one year's wages! Can you imagine one jar of perfume that cost that much? Now imagine taking that and just pouring it out? A year's worth of wages gone in an instant!

She knew what she was doing and how much it had cost her, but she did not care. Her love for Jesus was so great that she was not concerned about the cost. If she had sorrow, it was not about how much she was giving up, but that she had so little to give. Love is like that. It often expresses itself in self-sacrifice, with little thought for self.

If an offering is to be meaningful, it should cost us something, and it should be done out of our own free will. We should give up something that is of value to us. Worship involves sacrifice — sacrifice of money, time, pride, or all three. Maybe it requires everything we have, and everything we are. The disciples were concerned with self. They had already argued about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of God. Mary was not concerned for self and what she would get. She was concerned for nothing but Jesus, and with that, she was already achieving greatness.

Mary's action was more than what was necessary - It was outrageous! Mary was not a calculating person who thought, what is the least I can do? How much do I have to give for it to be enough? What is my duty? What is my share? She was certainly not tied to tradition – What have I done in the past? Mary did not think, “How do other women show respect for a Rabbi?”

She was not afraid to do something out of the ordinary. Mary did not ask the disciples if it was OK. Mary broke with tradition. She broke the limits of what was acceptable. Mary just seized the opportunity, and did it. She did what she could to express her devotion to Jesus. Her love was so great that it called for an exceptional extravagant act of devotion.

The disciples didn't object to the anointing. They didn't object to perfume. What they objected to was the extravagance. This was just too much of a good thing. In fact it was way too much! This was ridiculous, wasteful, it was even sinful. But Jesus said, “Not so.” What she has done is a beautiful thing. It has value, like a beautiful work of art or a beautiful piece of music. It was a beautiful action that defied cost analysis. It is impossible to put a price on such devotion.

Of course, when something is done out of the ordinary, someone is going to complain about it. Someone is not going to understand the motive, or understand the beauty, or they are going to say, "That's not right. We don't do things that way." To them, it seems that “the norm” is better than an intense emotional response. But Jesus praises extravagance. God gave us an extravagant gift in the person of Jesus Christ. It was an outrageous gift. It was a gift worth far more than what we deserved.

It was a gift of grace and grace is by definition - extravagant. Jesus gave everything He had for us. He gave his very life. He gave even more than necessary — He died for the whole world, and yet the whole world did not accept Him. He died for those people who rejected Him. That was an act of extravagance!

So how do we respond to this story of devotion, sacrifice, and extravagance? Just like Mary.

We need to respond with a single-minded love that counts everything else loss but for Jesus. We need to respond with a love that does not ask “how little we can do to get by?” We need to respond with a love that is not worried about public opinion. We need to respond with a love that is no longer concerned about what is within the boundaries of normal devotion. We need to respond with a love that is willing to be extravagant.

Have you ever done anything extravagant for Jesus Christ?

Have you ever done anything so outrageous for Him that other people thought you were foolish?

Have you ever been so bold with your love for Christ that other people have criticized you for what you did?

Some of us have. Maybe it was a long time ago. Whenever it was, that act of love was the “icing on the cake” “the cherry on top.” Your action was a gift of a sweet-smelling fragrance offered to God.

So, how do you respond to The One who gave His life for You?

My hope is that you learn to respond like Mary did with Devotion, Sacrifice, and Extravagance.