Stations of The Cross

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frws0SAEy9A   

I really appreciate this song by Matt Maher as we recognize the work of Jesus on the cross.   

This blog is based on the writings Clarence Enzler, on “Everyone’s Way of the Cross”.  I have taken the opportunity to share insights and personal meaning as well.  We are going to walk through the fourteen stations of the Cross which do come out of the Catholic tradition; however, they were performed by Christian pilgrims who visited the sites of Jesus’ passion as far back as the late 4^th century.  It took place after Constantine had built the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on where it was believed to be the place of Calvary and the tomb of Jesus.   It was the Franciscans who would continue this tradition in the 1300s to enrich their lives with this act of devotion.  So, the Via Dolorosa was established known as the sorrowful way and I had the opportunity to walk along this now very crowded part of the old city of Jerusalem.

My prayer is that this time together would lead us into a greater appreciation of His death and sacrifice on the cross of Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins and the opportunity to now become sons and daughters of the most high God, our Father.

These fourteen steps that we are about to walk, we will walk together with Christ. We will come to understand what it means to be crucified with Christ, where I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life we live in the body, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us.  Galatians 2:20

Station 1   Jesus Is Condemned

Christ speaks to us:  In Pilate’s hands, I see my Father’s will.  Though he washes his hands of me, the Father’s hand is on me as I submit to those who rule over me.  And so the Son of God obeys as the Father has given that power over and sentenced to be crucified.

We reply:  My Jesus, Lord, obedience cost your life.  For me it costs an act of will and yet why is it so hard for me to bend.  Remove the blinders from my eyes that I may see whom I submit to in all who govern me.  Lord, it is you.

Station 2  Jesus Takes His Cross 

Christ speaks to us:  This cross, this chunk of tree, is what my Father chose for me.  The crosses you must bear are largely products of your daily life.  And yet my Father chose them, too, for you.  Receive them from his hands.

We reply:   Lord I take my daily cross.  I recognize that Jesus called me as his disciple and that if I wanted  to come after him, I  must deny myself, take up my cross and follow him.  Remind me often that in carrying my cross, I place others before myself, not my will, but your will be done.

Station 3 Jesus Falls

Christ speaks to us:  The God who made the universe, and holds it in existence by his will alone, becomes a man, too weak to bear a piece of timber’s weight.  How human in His weakness is the Son of God.  My Father willed it thus.  I could not be your model otherwise

We reply:  Lord Jesus, how can I refuse?  I willingly accept my weakness because your strength is made perfect in my weakness.    We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  2 Corinthians 4:10

Station 4 Jesus Meets His Mother 

Christ speaks to us:  My mother sees me whipped.  She sees me kicked and driven like a beast.  She counts my every wound.  But though her soul cries out in agony, no protest or complaint.  She shares in the pain of a mother’s heart that is broken for her son.  We hide no pain, no sorrow from each other’s eyes.  This is my Father’s will.  “Dear woman, here is your son. And to the disciple, here is your mother. From that time on, the disciple took her into his home”  John 19:26,27

We reply:  My Jesus, Lord.  I know what you are telling me.  To enter into the pain of those we love is harder than to bear our own.  To carry our cross after you, we must also grieve with those who grieve.  I do believe that for those who love you all things work together for good.  Teach me to see those that you are calling me to have compassion on in Jesus’ name.

Station 5 Simon Helps Jesus 

Christ speaks to us:  My strength is gone; I can no longer bear the cross alone.  And so the legionnaires make Simon give me aid.  Each time you lift some burden from another’s back, you lift as with your very hand the cross’s awful weight that crushes me.

We reply:  Lord, make me realize that every time I wipe a dish, pick up an object off the floor, assist a child in some small task, or give another preference in traffic or in the store, each time I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, learn to bear the burden of another, my name is Simon.  And the kindness I extend to them I really give to you.

Station 6 Veronica Wipes The Face of Jesus 

Christ speaks to us:  Can you be brave enough, my other self, to wipe my bloody face?  Where is my face, you ask?  At home whenever eyes fill up with tears, at work when tensions rise, on playgrounds, in the slums, in the courts, the hospitals, the jails – wherever suffering exists- my face is there.  And there I look for you to wipe away my blood and tears.

We reply: Lord what you ask is hard.  It calls for courage and self -sacrifice, and I am weak.  Please give me strength.  Don’t let me run away because of fear.  Lord live in me and act in me and love in me.  And not in me alone – in  all of us- so that we may reveal no more your bloody but glorious face on earth

Station  7 Jesus Falls Again 

Christ speaks:  This fall is the one that tests my will.  From this, I learn to persevere in love and in fulfilling my mission.  The time will come when all my efforts seem to fail and my strength fails me.  I look to the Father and He tells me to carry on.  Trust me and carry on.

We reply:  Give me your courage, Lord.  When failure presses heavily on me and I am desolate, stretch out your hand to lift me up.  I know I must not cease, but persevere in doing good.  But help me Lord.  Alone, I can do nothing without you.  With you, I can do all things through YOU who gives me strength.  In your Name and by your Spirit I will.

Station 8  Jesus Consoles The Women  

Christ speaks:  How often had I longed to take the children of Jerusalem and gather them to me.  But they refused.  But now these women weep for me and my heart mourns for them – mourns for their sorrow that will come.  I comfort those with the comfort of my presence. 

We reply:  My Jesus, your compassion in your passion is beyond compare.  Lord teach me, help me to learn.  When I would snap at those who hurt me with their ridicule, those who misunderstand, or hinder me with some misguided helpfulness, those who intrude, then help me to hold my tongue.  May gentleness be the clothing that I wear and may kindness be the words of my heart.

Station 9 The Third Fall

Christ speaks:  Completely drained of strength I lie, collapsed, upon the cobblestone.  My body cannot move.  No blows, no kicks can rouse it up.  Know this, though my body may be broken, but no force on earth and none in hell can take away your will.  Your will be done.

We reply:  My Lord, I see you take a moment’s rest then rise and stagger on.  So I can do because your will be done.  When all my strength is gone and guilt and self -reproach press me to earth and seem to hold me fast, protect me from the sin of Judas – save me from despair.  Lord never let me feel that any sin of mine is greater than your love.  No matter what my past has been, I can begin anew.

Station 10 Jesus Is Stripped

Christ speaks:  Behold, the poorest king who ever lived.  Before my creatures I stand stripped.  The cross – my deathbed – even this is not my own.  Yet who has ever been so rich?  Possessing nothing, I own all – my Father’s love.  If you, too, would own everything, do not hold on to your food, your clothes, your possessions, your life.  May your most precious possession be me.

We reply:  My Lord, I offer you my all – whatever I possess, and more, myself.  Detach me from the craving for prestige, position, wealth.  Root out of me all trace of envy of my neighbor who has more than I.  Release me from the vice of pride, my longing to exalt myself, and lead me to the lowest place.  May I be poor in spirit, Lord, so that I can be rich in you.

Station 11 Jesus Is Crucified

Christ speaks:  Can you imagine what a crucifixion is?  My executioners stretch out my arms; they hold my hand and wrist against the wood and press it into the nail until it stabs my flesh.  Then, with one heave hammer smash, they drive it through – and pain bursts like a bomb of fire in my brain.  They seize the other arm and agony again explodes.  Then raising up my knees so that my feet are flat against the wood, they hammer them fast, too.

We reply:  My God, I look at You and think:  Is my soul worth this much?  What can I give you in return?  I here and now accept Your love that held You to the cross for me.  For it is by your stripes, your wounds, we are healed

Station 12 Jesus Dies

Christ speaks to us: The Cross becomes a pulpit now – Forgive them, Father.  You will be with me in paradise…There is your mother…There...your son…I thirst…It is finished.

To speak I have to raise myself by pressing on my wrists and feet, and every move engulfs me in new waves of agony.  And then, when  I have borne enough, have emptied my humanity, I let my mortal life depart

Our response:  My Jesus, God, what can I say or do?  I offer you my death with all of its pains, accepting now that I am crucified with Christ and it is my desire that I no longer live, but that you live in me!  I offer you my death so that I will be raised up to newness of life with you.  Thank you God that you will never leave me, nor forsake me

The Message of the Cross   is really foolishness to those who are perishing.  It is the same way Noah must have appeared when he built the ark to all those who were watching him.  It seemed absolutely absurd.  Who would openly choose to die for those who would spit on your sacrifice?  It was Jesus

The word for foolishness in 1 Cor. 1:18 could easily be understood as ‘moronic’ to really carry the full weight of the verse.  It makes no sense to those who don’t understand)

 If we really want zoe-life, our soul must go to the cross.

Don’t minimize repentance   Luke 9:23  it is a daily calling to deny self  and take up our cross.  Your ‘self’ won’t go down easily.

The answer for the soul is found in the yoke, that hard wooden crosspiece.  That doesn’t seem easy at all, it looks cumbersome, annoying, restrictive.  There is no coincidence that Ps 23 comes after Ps 22.  Perfect rest is only discovered after coming to the cross.

The cross occupies a central place in proclaiming the gospel.  It is both the crowning place of a life of self-renunciation and the ordained instrument of salvation!

Station 13 Jesus Is Taken Down

Christ speaks: The sacrifice is done.  Yes, the price has been paid, You who once were lost are now found.  I know that my death brings your freedom.  So, then death is at work in me, but life is at work in you.  I have paid it all, the price of souls forgiven.

We reply:  We are unworthy of such a great sacrifice, but thank you that you have called me to Yourself.  I have seen the Savior’s love for me.  It is because of the Father’s great mercy and grace that He brought you to death so that life may reign in me.

Station 14 Jesus Is Buried and Laid In The Tomb

Christ speaks:  So ends my earthly life.  But now another begins for Mary, and for Mary Magdalene, for Peter, for John, for each and every one of you.  My life’s work is done.  My work within and through my body, the church must now commence. 

We reply:  My Jesus, Lord, you know my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak.  The teaching you have imparted, the suffering you have borne, the work of love that you have done, let it be done in me and through me that all may see you high and lifted up.

Christ speaks:  I told you my life was not complete until I crowned it by my death.  May you accept each moment as it comes to you with faith and trust that all that happens has my mark on it.  A simple breath of prayer in your heart, not my will, but your will be done.

The Inside View of Disciplemaking

Discipleship...check out this video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpaID6tUeEc 

It has been said that parenting is the highest form of discipleship.  As parents we have the incredible privilege and responsibility of the spiritual formation of our children especially in their formative years. In this passage, Paul drew on the parallels between parenting and family life showing how deeply personal discipleship was to him, which is what it took to do well in seeing others become fully devoted followers of Christ.

A Gospel shaped community is enabled to form deep community and yet only in deep community can we become gospel shaped people.  Tim Keller

We often think of discipleship of a very formal thing and yet I can identify how I took significant steps in my journey with Christ through informal times with others as we do life together.  I believe that we need formal times for disciplemaking where we sit down, share Scripture and pray together; however we learn so much from just spending time with each other.

One person who played a significant role in my life was Bob Gage.  He passed away a few years ago, but here is what I remember about him

He was an amazing mentor, encourager and friend in my life and inspired me to lead as a young man who was part of a ministry to boys called Battalion.  It was Bob who would take us on a survivorman weeklong canoe trips on the Madawaska River.  We would learn to take risks as we navigated through some pretty incredible rapids and I can remember as clear as day how he taught us to be not hearers only, but doers of the Word.  He also taught me so much about conversational prayer with the Lord I know he is a big part of who I have become today.

It was his wife Rose who shared this with me following his funeral.

She said people spoke of Bob as a soldier, but he was a genuine fun loving man of God who taught us the joy of the Lord.  During Bob's last days that he never complained and always had that silly grin on his face and would look at her to say, "I love you'.

 She shared with me, “Joy in the Lord is infectious Jack, so use it mightily in your home, in your ministry.  I was a very fearful person until I grew in the Lord, Bob always saw everything as a fun challenge.  We then both came to understand it's a wonderful opportunity to grow in the Lord.”

How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy in the presence of God.  1 Thessalonians 3:9

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12

Now remember that Paul was only here for 3 weeks with the believers at Thessalonica and yet look at the profound effect they had there.

I want to focus on how you and I can be effective disciple makers.  We can do this by properly connecting three parts of our body and how they relate in a family relationship.

Connect to others with your heart v7,8  - like a mother

Gentle

The passage refers to a mother caring for her little children.  Now the word here actually refers to one who nourishes or feeds; a nursing mother.  So you want to describe a gentle approach!   Paul is talking about a mother and an infant and he is saying that is the kind of bond we had with you.  A person who makes disciples doesn’t take anything for granted.  They know that everything they experience together can be so formational in the life of the person they take under their wing.

Sometimes you don’t even realize the little things you do for the people you come in contact with can have such a profound effect on them.  This was really brought out to me when I left my first youth ministry position and the youth prepared a scrapbook for us.  In their letters they shared about how they saw Sharon and I love each other and our kids that spoke so much to them,  often more than all the talks and events.

This gentle approach wasn’t always this way for Paul.   Earlier on in his ministry he had a disagreement with Barnabus, whose name meant son of encouragement.  It was Barnabus who never gave up on people and John Mark had deserted them on an earlier trip as you can read about in Acts 15:36-39 

A person who is gentle gives people second, third chances even when they mess up in their spiritual journey. 

The great news for Paul is that things did turnaround with John Mark as we see in Colossians 4:10.  We find him in prison with Paul who sends greetings on their behalf. 

For some of you the idea of a gentle approach may seem impossible, but here’s the good news, God can make you gentle as His Spirit works in you.

My parents took in foster children as I was growing up and 3 of them ended up staying with us for close to 10 years.  They would eventually profess faith in Christ and I can remember pulling them into my bedroom to do morning devotions growing up.  Well, one day, I had a disagreement with one of them and I remember one of them swearing at me using the Lord’s name in vain.  I remember being so upset by that that I clenched my fist and drove it through the wall next to him.  Obviously, it wasn’t my finest moment, but when I think of gentle, I think of how much more effective it would have been for me to place my arm around him and let him know how much that hurt His Savior who died for Him and for me as well as his brother.

I also reflect back on a student who came from a blended home arriving at church with a ball cap on Unfortunately, it was all one person could see and they let him know that he was being disrespectful.  While I’m not here to debate clothing, the young man left the church for a number of months only to arrive back because someone else loved him enough to reach out to him.

Gentleness helps us to see the people that other people miss in our church and outside of our church.  Gentleness reaches out beyond our comfort zone to connect with people who others don’t have time for. 

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

God has allowed us to open our home in the past to people who were in need of a room to stay.  We were fortunate enough as a family to have a room in our basement to take in people usually for 6 months at a time from  a niece to a youth pastor, someone in a time of transition from the ‘women shelter’ and later a church planter who came from Nigeria.  It was God who impressed on me that in doing so we were entertaining angels unaware!

I know some of you have done the same and want to encourage you in this.  I want you to give some thought about how you could use your home to share God’s love.

Connect to others with your hands – like a brother or sister for that matter v9,10

He speaks of toil, hardship

Working night and day not to be a burden - They served others ‘pro bono’  They weren’t looking for something in return.  As missionaries, they would have received some support from Antioch, but they had to work to support themselves.

Paul never expected anything in return for being a mentor, he knew that it meant being available at any given time.  While in prison, the only things he really requested for himself was a writing pad and a sweater.  The thing that stands out to me about being a brother or sister is time.  A spiritual brother or sister in many ways made the time even after a long day of work.  This is the call of a disciple maker and it goes beyond the pastors of the church who are fortunate enough to be paid to do it.   It is a sacrifice of time.

Paul also encouraged Timothy to invest (your life) in faithful men who would also be able to teach others.

2 Timothy 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

Connect to others with your words - like a Father –v11,12

You are witnesses of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.

Paul was saying that his conduct was above board.  We honored God, we treated people right, and we gave no one a legitimate reason to blame us for our behavior. He was saying we lived among you with integrity.

·         Encouraging – to exhort, to challenge to live with a particular conduct.  He was calling them to a holy lifestyle.

·         Comforting –  addressing one’s feeling as opposed to their will.  He knew that what they were feeling would not always line up with the steps of obedience that they needed to take.  Often obedience and follow through don’t always match up with how we feel about a situation.

·         Urging you to live lives worthy of God – solemn charge

We were at a men’s breakfast recently where the speaker challenged us that the sin in the garden was Adam’s silence when Eve was being tempted by Satan.  Sometimes we think that Adam was somewhere else in the garden at that time, but he wasn’t.  He was right there, with her (Genesis 2:7) and by his passive silence, he let Eve be deceived and in doing so was deceived himself.  He didn’t speak up when he knew the thing that was very wrong happening right in front of him.

Paul had to be straightforward and be courageous enough to speak the truth in love with his words.

If he saw error or abuse, he called it out.  Now I don’t have a specific example from Thessalonica, we see his boldness in the city of Antioch.

Galatians 2:11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

Paul had to call Peter out on his bad behaviour.

 

John also expanded the picture of maturity from childhood to adulthood and parenthood in 1 John 2:13,14.  Spiritual children learn about forgiveness of sins.  Young men learn how to overcome the enemy and become strong in doing so and this passage states that spiritual fathers ‘have known him who is from the beginning’ and reiterates it a second time I believe because they have developed a history with the Lord.  A spiritual father can share about his journey in the faith.  He can leave a legacy.

Spiritual generations (one generation teaching another generation) are God’s strategy for reaching the world.  Any plan that ignores the natural process of parenting (as it relates to God’s family) through successive generations is doomed to fail because it goes against God’s design for ministry. 

Also, I believe that the failure to pass on the truths of the faith to another generation is a mark of immaturity in the church. 

Here’s the truth.  I know many of you feel like I could not be gentle enough to be a spiritual mother or have enough time to be a brother or sister, much less being bold and courageous enough to be a spiritual father.  However;  if you are a follower of Jesus, I am bold to say on the authority of God’s word that you have Christ (Romans 8:10), you have the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), you have the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:13), you have spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10), you are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and you are a fountain (John 4:14; 7:38).

The Takeaway

The Christian life is a shared life.

This is not a matter of personality. This is a matter of faith. Trust him, and give yourself to others.  Be a disciplemaker!

The Radical Life Changing Gospel

The context of Thessalonians flows out of Acts 17.  Paul and Silas had just done a prison break out of Philippi and you have to just love Paul`s boldness.  He uses his Roman citizenship to ask for an escort right out of the city and they arrive in Thessalonica.  Paul`s method of evangelism was to first begin with the warm network by approaching the God-fearing Jews and he went straight for the juggler by proclaiming Christ death and resurrection.  He then gathered a following and anytime someone does some `synagogue stealing` or sees a long time church goer switch churches, jealousy often steps in.  The reality was that apart from Christ, the synagogue was a dead place.

Today we want to focus on the radical life changing gospel.

Let’s look at a radical scene that was gaining the attention of the whole world  Acts 17

Reginald Bibby in his findings has discovered that what most engages Canadians about Christians is being involved in ministry and service projects alongside them than in invitations to events. 3 in 10 Canadians value faith.

In the February 2012 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-618X.2011.01282.x/full issue of The Canadian Review of Sociology, Bibby points out that 40% of those who are receptive would be drawn in by ministry opportunities.  Some 40 percent indicated that the key lies with ministry that is in touch with their personal interests and needs, including ministries that target children, young adults, and seniors. Explicit emphases on God and spirituality were important to many, as was ministry that gave attention to community and societal issues.

The gospel has to make a difference in people’s lives.  Don’t think about changing in front of them; be the change as you come alongside them. Let them see your work produced…Invite them to meaningful opportunities

Not being changed by prayer (and I would add the gospel) is sort of life standing in the middle of a spring rain without getting wet. It's hard to stand in the center of God's acceptance and love without getting it all over you.” Steve Brown

A Gospel Prayer 1:1-3

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,

   To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

 Grace and peace to you.

2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ

Your work produced by faith  - These Christians had the kind of faith that produced good works in their lives. It was not just a lot of talk and it wasn’t works that created faith.  It was the kind of faith that inspired them to do good works.

Your labour prompted by love –  The word for labour here is koros.  It is different from work in that it emphasizes the pain and weariness that is involved in the effort.  Love suffers long, it endures the pain.  How do you nurture this kind of love?

Your endurance inspired by hope in Jesus Christ -  How do you fuel hope, it continually looks forward.   It was their forward looking faith that enabled them to wait for that which is better.  The stuff of this world didn’t cling to them.

These Thessalonians were paying a heavy price for their faith. They were being ostracized by their friends, it was probably costing them financially, and their families may have been rejecting them. But instead of becoming bitter they just got better. They received the word of the Lord and in their receptivity toward God the joy of the Holy Spirit flooded their souls. It is a paradox the world cannot understand. In the midst of pain and suffering the Holy Spirit can give a joy that carries us through it all.

Do meaningful things together… how do they see my work produced by faith, my labour inspired by love, my endurance inspired by hope?

A Gospel Beyond Words 1:4,5

Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.  You know how we lived among you for your sake.

There is something to be said about a life well lived for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It goes beyond the ability to be convincing with our words to the place where it is our lives that are the most convincing and how God’s power in made manifest in us.  It is about the Holy Spirit who inspires us to selfless living.  In Acts we see how Jason took the risk to welcome Paul and Silas into his house and he paid dearly for it.  It was his deep conviction that these men of God needed protection and he was ready and he was ready to stand in the gap on their behalf.

Paul also pointed out something else here.  He said ‘we lived among you,’  It is so important to recognize that we are called to live among people who need to hear the gospel.  The fact is that the people who have the most success reaching out to non-Christians are new believers.  Why?  Research shows us that the longer you are a Christian, the less and less you path connect with non-Christians.  We have to be intentional about the friendships that we have and that we learn to break out of bubbles that keep us from really getting to know those who don’t know Jesus.  I will also add that we must be led by the Holy Spirit in all that we say and do.

A Contagious Gospel  1:6-8

And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,

Paul is saying you became imitators of us.  They weren’t ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ in spite of the suffering that we see in Acts 17 where Jason and some other brothers were dragged before the city officials.

I want to look at something specific here and I want you to notice something with me.

The message rang out!

The message rang out means here to sound like a trumpet.  Their message reverberated out and people were taking hold of it, embracing it and proclaiming it!  It had a ripple effect.

We talk about something going viral on youtube or facebook and the latest focus is on KONY 2012.

He has abducted children to be soldiers in his army or “wives” for his officers. The LRA is encouraged to rape, mutilate, and kill civilians.  They have abducted over 30 000 children.

 Joseph Kony is known as the World’s Worst War Criminal and the goal is to make him famous with the goal of his capture in mind.

How can we make the gospel famous?    Our goal is to capture the hearts and minds of men, women and children with the glorious life giving message of hope in Jesus.

It is a life that is living in radical obedience to the Lord

It is the story of the Heavenly Man, brother Yun’s biography of how God used him through severe torture and persecution inspiring church planters in the house church movement in China.  His message rang out!

I was recently watching the “Untold Stories of Columbine”  as Rachel Scott’s father was retelling her story, the girl  who said I believe in God and the thousands of people who would come to know Jesus at her funeral and beyond as a result of her life. She knew her life was going to serve a greater purpose and that she wouldn’t be married.

I believe as well that sacrificial acts are rarely forgotten.  It is those times were you can clearly see that life change occurred, where the message went from black and white to colour.  It came alive!

It is the leading of the Holy Spirit that brings us to an encounter with the person of Jesus.  It is Jesus who sacrificed His life and who died to set us free.  It is by His shed blood  that we receive forgiveness when we accept His free gift, becoming children of our Heavenly Father!

The New God and New Hope of the Gospel!  V9,10

The change was dramatic and for many of the Greek people, the gods of Zeus and Aphrodite were lewd, sensual, violent and to hear about King Jesus and the kind of love he showed sacrificially was life changing and as a result they looked to serve their new King and anticipate His return.

Sacrificial acts are seldom forgotten.  Bill Hybels

The realization for all of us is that when it comes to the gospel, it needs to go beyond words and like Jesus, the most powerful reminders of love are the sacrificial acts that we show in leading others to Him.

The Power of A Prayer of Unthinkable Possibilities!

Ephesians 3:14-21

•          This prayer is a beautiful expression of the outworking of the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our lives.

•          This prayer is a deep longing for God’s family poured out to a gracious and extremely generous Father.

The outline of the prayer…ADDRESS, the prayer requests and the spiritual breakthrough

The Address v14,15  

Ok, let’s look first at how he is praying.

·         A prayer of intensity for every member of the family of God

Yes, I realize that prayer can take the form of any posture, but my question is this…

When have you been driven to your knees in prayer?  

Getting down on the knees is a sign of intensity, incredible desire and emotion.  We see Solomon who knelt at the dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8; we see Stephen on his knees at the time of his martyrdom, Peter at the death-bed of Dorcas and it was Jesus, who on his knees prayed in the garden of Gethsemane after praying that we would be one as the Father and He were one, after praying and sweating great drops of blood His high priestly prayer that we would be in the world, but not of the world.

 In my life, I was always moved, seeing my Father by his bedside, down on his knees and face planted in his hands praying for us, his family.

Now, let’s look at who he is praying for.

Who is he addressing?

He is praying for every member of God’s family.

I don’t know about you but when someone tells me that they are praying for me,  it is so encouraging and then when the Holy Spirit lays something very specific on their heart to pray for you, it is even more powerful.

Now we are moving to the specific prayer request -

The Request v16-19

1.       Discovering Strength and Power through the Holy Spirit in your inner being v16

This is not a ‘try harder’ type of strength.  There is a very real exchange of strength going on here much like the type of strength Isaiah spoke of when he said they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.  Its not about building it up in yourself

For Paul the 'power of the Spirit' is not only for more visible and extraordinary manifestations of God's presence, but also (especially) for the empowering necessary to be his people in the world, so as to be true reflections of his own glory"  Gordon Fee

 in the inner man v16 see Rom. 7:22; 2 Cor. 4:16; it is "the interior of our being . . . the seat of personal consciousness of our moral being" Gordon Fee heart. I.e., "that part of them which is not accessible to sight but which is open to his energizing influence"

I spent time at the beginning of this month at Singing Waters for three days, a place where you can go for personal spiritual retreats.   I also had the opportunity to sit in on the “Isaiah 61’ school of ministry that was just in session.  It was here that I met students from China, Taiwan, Holland, Australia, the States and from here in Canada who were taking the next few months to focus on their relationship with the Lord.

So, my first night there they tell us it is going to be a Holy Spirit workshop and after the teaching they paired us up and had us pray for each other, but there was a catch.  We were asked not to pray unless God gives us a word for the other person.  At first there was silence, but as we sat in silence, verses and words of encouragement flowed for others, there were pictures that came as well.  The incredible thing was that we didn’t know each other and yet there was confirmation of what God was putting on our hearts.

Luke 6:36 Be merciful even as your Father is merciful

2.       Soaking In The Presence and Love of the Indwelling Christ v17,18

It is the Holy Spirit that ushers in the presence of Jesus Christ.   He paves the way to magnify the person and work of Jesus Christ.

One very interesting observation: although the concept of Jesus being 'in our hearts is a popular way of expressing what it is to be a Christian, this is the only place in the NT where that precise terminology is found!

To dwell means to be at home and that is His desire.  Yes He has taken up permanent residence, but He wants full possession of every area.   He isn’t just coming over for a nice Sunday afternoon visit. He want to open up the closet where there still maybe bitterness and resentment that need to be dealt with.  He also wants to gain entrance to the basement and deal with the stuff that has been hidden in the boxes from the past. 

To dwell –like Martha sitting at the feet of Jesus, she had chosen the one thing that was better.

Being rooted and established in love….

 how wide… covers the breadth of our experience

                        For God so loved the world

how long… covers all of our lives

                        that He gave His one and only Son

how deep… covers the depth of our discouragement, depression and despair.

                        that whoever believes in Him shall not perish

how high…to the heights of celebration

                        but have eternal life

There is more going on here than just human will power and fervent passion.

                       

And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love.  Reach out and experience the breadth!  Test its length!  Plumb the depths!  Rise to the heights!   The Message

While I was still at Singing Waters I had the opportunity to go on a prayer walk and I hit the trails.  They had a number of markers on the trails that spread out like branches from the main retreat center along the Nottawasaga River.  So I began by heading down into the valley and across a narrow bridge.  It was there that I found the humility trail which was all enclosed in by trees and quite dark but it  led to a beautiful opening where I was back in the light.  I followed along till I reached the boundary trail and there I was impressed by the realization that His love knows no bounds.  From there I crossed another bridge over the river to where I found the Lookout Point and took in a vast, beautiful view.  I then followed the River Trail East and I turned as the sun broke through the clouds and shone brightly on me.  It was there that I said God, I want your radiance to shine on me. From there I found the faith trail that led me to another bridge except it was completely covered in snow with a rope to guide you across the river.   I just knew I had to walk over it as part of my faith journey not really knowing the condition of the bridge below the snow.  From here I found the Father heart trail which led me to the hope and peace trails and I was back on my way to the main building.  However, that was not before I heard a powerful wind that blew through the trees and reminded me that the Spirit of God was blowing in this place!

So, why do I take the time to tell you about my walk with the Lord?  I believe more than ever God wants to meet with all of us in the way that He has created and designed us.  We all have different spiritual instincts that led us to a full expression of the depths of His love.  Think about the times and places where you have experienced the depths and riches of His love.  (pause)

If we are going to know the power of God in this church and our ministry here at Grace, we must each pursue and plumb the depths of His love in our lives first.   Our ministry must flow out of our relationship with the Lord because it is here that we receive the vision, gain the strength and the power to serve.

3.      Experiencing the Fullness of God v19

In his letter to the Colossian believers, Paul speaks of Jesus Christ and says, “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell” (Colossians 1:19). Later, he writes, “For in Him [that is, in Christ] dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:9-10). To the degree that Jesus occupies every portion of your and my life is to that degree we are filled with all the fullness of God.

God wants to be perfect in you.  He wants to meet every need in your life and simply wants to be the one thing that we seek for.

I had the opportunity to teach the grade 4/5 class in the second service…clay – fingerprints.

A.B. Simpson, the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance wrote this hymn which I believe speaks so beautifully to the understanding of this fullness.

Salvation is so much more than just than just the remission of your sins, it is all of His provision

                       

The Breakthrough v20,21

What is the power of the Church?

What is the glory of the Church?

She radiates with the beauty that comes from being in the presence of the Lord and then she goes out and becomes the life giving abundance that Christ created her to be!

There is nothing like the local church when it’s working right.  Its beauty is undescribable.  Its power is breathtaking.  Its potential is unlimited.  It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the context of community.  It builds bridges to seekers and offers truth to the confused.  It provides resources for those in need and opens its arms to the forgotten, the downtrodden, the disillusioned.  It breaks the chains of addictions, frees the oppressed, and offers belonging to the marginalized of this world.  Whatever the capacity for human suffering, the church has a greater capacity for healing and wholeness.

Still to this day, the potential of the local church is almost more than I can grasp.  No other organization on earth is like the church.  Nothing even comes close.

Bill Hybels in Courageous Leadership

What would happen if we really believed that we have the hope this world is searching for?

What would happen if we really believed in the most excellent love of Christ?

What would happen if we really believed in the power, the Holy Spirit, that is at work within us?

What is my prayer for Grace, more importantly what is it Lord that you want me to know for Grace?  That was the question that I asked God and waited on Him for while I was away on the prayer retreat and this is the impression that I received.

Grace will give birth to something new.  She will be a place for inner healing and enabling strength and my Spirit will wash over her. 

Fix your eyes on me and You will see the unseen.  I will give crystal clear focus as you lay out your life before me.  I AM the rushing wind.  I will blow My presence on you.  Keep your gaze steadfast.  Do not look to the right or to the left.  See the beauty and the fullness of my face.  Glow with the radiance that comes from being with Me.

And a verse came to mind -

So, let you light shine that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.