Reflections from Sunday --Palm Sunday (4/5/2009)

Hey guys, I'm back to blogging about Sundays. So here goes:
Sunday was a good day. That was hard to say but yesterday was truly awesome. Let me unpack that a little for you:
Yesterday started out great. I got to Eden and everything was going wonderful... until... THE PROJECTOR MESSED UP! I am sure that it was user error, but I had a few other people take a look at it and we could not get it to work. Sure it worked, but the resolution was all outta whack! This has happened to me a few other times before, but I forgot how I fixed it. Anyway, it wouldn't have been a huge deal, but it really stressed me out because I was using a lot of different media in the message as well as during the singing portion of the worship time. So, we sang out of the hymnals instead. I am glad we still have them for times like this. Other than that stress, it was a good worship celebration. God is still on the throne and if we trust in Jesus, we can't let things get us too down.
On to the message. It was called Who Did Jesus Die For? The text was Matthew 21:4-11 (click the link for the passage). Jesus came in to Jerusalem on a young donkey. Same story every year, right? Wrong!

I've really been asking God how we can look at this story --familiar to many of us "church" folks-- in a new and refreshing light. Here are some of the points God showed me:

• Jesus Did It God's Way-- The Jewish crowd wanted a conquering king on a white stallion with a mighty army who came to destroy Rome. Instead, Jesus came as a humble servant-King on a weak animal (so weak that they had to lay clothes on the ground so not to hurt the humble beast) with a bunch of ordinary disciples who came to destroy sin and death. Sometimes we try to put God in a box and we insist He does things our way. But the truth is, He IS GOD and that is why He makes the decisions!
• The Same People Who Celebrate You on Sunday Will Crucify You on Friday-- I think I have experienced this to a much lesser degree. Something at a church service goes really great and everyone loves the direction that our church is taking. Then, later in the week they find out that it's not going to be done their way, but God's way. Man, religious people can get really ticked and when they do, they get really mean... After all, it was the "church" of Jesus' day that put Him to death! Let me unpack that a little more for you:

--The Pharisees were just like many "church" people today-- The Pharisees had the right doctrine (for the most part), the really believed in tithing (they competed to see who gave more), they loved to pray (especially in public), and they really hated sin (but mainly if it wasn't their own). Sounds like a lot of the "holier-than-thou" crowd that makes up a least a pew of every local church in this country. They loved Jesus when He came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday!
-- The Pharisees turned on Jesus because He made them uncomfortable!-- The Bible tells us that many rulers of the synagogues and leaders of the Pharisees believed in Jesus, but they loved the praise of men more than a walk with their God. In Luke 23, we read that when Pilate told the Jewish leaders he found nothing wrong with Jesus, they replied that His teaching was causing a huge uproar all through the country. That's the problem with too many "Christians" today. We like the blessings of Jesus, but not His teachings. We like the fact that He is our Forgiver, but we often times don't like it when He is our Leader. If Jesus is not your Leader (Lord), He is not you Forgiver (Savior).

• It was the Humble Thief who Really Accepted Jesus-- This guy was humble. He just asked that Jesus might, maybe, perhaps, think of him later when Jesus was exalted in heaven as King. Jesus said that even better than that, that man would go to Paradise with Him!
• You See, Jesus Died for Everyone, but Not Everyone Follows Him!-- Jesus died for the Pharisees but they didn't want any part of it because they were too proud and wanted their will to become God's will. It doesn't work like that. Jesus never came so that we could be comfortable! Jesus came so that we would become CONVICTED and CONVERTED. For far too long, the American church has had their middle finger pointed at God and said they didn't want His teachings. They did not want to follow His Word. Then they weep and moan and wonder why He has allowed us to go through such problems. Many think that the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (which Jesus predicted 40 years before) was punishment for the Jewish people not following Jesus. That makes me wonder if all the stuff going on isn't God removing His hand of blessing on us as a nation.
• Here's How to Apply All of This To Your Life in a Nutshell-- Jesus died so that we could live. Jesus came to give us life and to set us free from all the things that tie us down. Most importantly, He came to glorify the Father. Are we really accepting Jesus, or do we want a Jesus-Lite? If you have Jesus as your Lord & Savior, you need to live like it. I need to live like it. I challenge you (because God has challenged me) to live this week like we live for Jesus. After all, He Died for Us... For You!

By the Way!!!!
Eden's Easter Services are as Follows:

Son-Rise Service/Breakfast-- Sunday at 7 AM
Sunday School-- 10 AM
Worship Celebration-- 11 AM

This coming Sunday's (Easter) message is going to be a Holy Communion Service. The whole message is talking about that Communion, or the Lord's Supper, is and why you need to take part. If you can make it, you need to be there! You don't want to miss it! Bring a friend too. We have gifts for every guest/ visitor who comes.