Flashback ~ Jerusalem~

 

The Golgotha Altar…..the crucifixion site.

Today we celebrate Good Friday….a ‘good’ Friday for us, but it was not so ‘good’ of a  Friday for Christ. Sometimes I don’t think the magnitude of what Jesus did for us really sinks in.

About fourteen years ago I was able to take a tour of Jerusalem, Israel. I was deployed with the military and we had stopped in Haifa, Israel; I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tour Jerusalem.

In the past couple of months I have done more studying on the significance of this week than ever before, in preparation for a sermon on Palm Sunday and one last night; Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday. It really made me think back on this trip many years ago, being just a babe in Christ then.

the city of Jerusalem in the background….it was hot!

Last night we celebrated Communion as Christ did with his disciples. But the gospel of John recorded that Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples (John 13). The one thing I remembered from my trip was that it was hot and dusty. Back then they wore sandals everywhere so foot washing was normal. But it was considered a menial task and one only the lowliest of slaves did. But Jesus, the ultimate servant, did it. Showing us that we are supposed to serve each other with humility. Like Rick Warren says, “humility is no thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less”.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher…

I guess I am in somewhat of a reflective mood at the moment. Because sometimes I don’t think watching the Passion movies and reading about the crucifixion really causes the magnitude of the price paid for our sins to sink in. I really think reflecting on what that personally means for each of us is what is most humbling.

It’s not just watching it unfold on the screen, but personally knowing that it’s my addiction on that cross, my lies on the cross, my fornication on the cross, my abortion on the cross, my hatred on the cross, my unforgiveness on the cross etc….and He paid it all! What does the cross mean to you?

May each of you have a wonderful celebration on Resurrection Sunday.

Blessings always

JC

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Worship that Costs….

splendid creation…..splendid Creator

One of my favorite characters in the bible is King David. A lot of people give him a lot of slack for the indiscretions that he committed. But no one could beat him at repentance and having a heart that sought after God. On my ride home from work yesterday morning I was thinking about one of his stories that has touched a tender place in my heart; 2 Samuel 24:24. I wanted to write a quick blurb about it.

David is in trouble for conducting a census without God’s consent. His punishment is in full effect and he is instructed to go and build an altar to God on the threshing floor. Well the threshing floor belongs to Araunah. Araunah offers to give the threshing floor to David for free. But David’s response is so beautiful to me; he says “I will buy it from you. I will not offer sacrifices to God that cost me nothing”.

In other words, I will not seek after You to worship You if it costs me nothing (even if I just messed up). What a heart…..no wonder he was a man after God’s heart.

Are we willing to pay a price to worship? To lose a couple of friends and pick up a couple of haters? To be rejected by people and be under constant attack from the enemy?

Can we sacrifice some time to be patient with someone else? Sacrifice some time to spend extra quality time with God? Sacrifice financially to invest in the temple and further the work of Christ?

I pray that I will pay the price to bring my worship before an AWESOME God; even when the price is me!

I will not offer God worship that cost me nothing.

Be Blessed

JC