Why did Jesus do that?

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.  This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.  So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."  When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."  Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. John 11:1-6  

 This week I’m studying the story of Jesus’ friend Lazarus.  Two things come initially to mind.  First, Lazarus would make an awesome heavy metal band name. Right?! Second, why did Jesus delay?

I mean Jesus finds out that his friend is sick and he waits two days before he goes to visit him.  As a pastor my first response would be to get to the hospital asap.  But Jesus finds out his friend is sick and he’s like, ‘Meh.  He’ll be fine.’  :/

Then two days later he goes to see Lazarus.  Lazarus is dead – like four day old stinky dead.  And of course nobody is happy, and there is lots of blame to go around.

‘If only you had come right away Jesus.’

“Jesus Wept.”  John 11:35

Then Jesus says to them, ‘Roll away that stone.’  Of course they suggest otherwise (remember 4 day old stinky.)  But he says, ‘Do it.’  And they obey.  He prays a prayer, tells Lazarus to wake up and come on out, and I will leave you to guess what happened next.

Now what I’m going to say next in no way mitigates the pain and grief that Lazarus’ family felt at the time, but Jesus knew what he was doing when he waited those two days.  He waited because he wanted to show everybody that death was not the last word when Jesus was around.

Yeah, he could have rushed there and prevented his friend from death.  But they all figured that once dead meant always dead.  Nuh uh says Jesus.  ‘Not when I’m here.  When I’m here, I’m the last word.’

Isn’t that awesome?! 

So God knew what he was doing after all.  I’ll have to try and remember that the next time I’m feeling down and out.  

-A

www.knoxmidland.ca

What would you do if you were absolutely confident that God is with you?

On Sunday morning at Knox, Midland, I want to introduce you to another guy out of the Old Testament. Right now I’m studying all about Joseph’s life.   From him we learn another incredible lesson about how to deal with the ups and down’s of life.

Joseph knows all about plan B’s. His life was a series of plan B’s. It almost seems unbelievable, but then again you’ve probably been there. Maybe not quite so many times as Joseph, but you recognize that whiplash feeling. You’ve been in the good-news season of life where you feel things couldn’t get much better, only to transition into a crushing bad-news period.

-Maybe you prayed for a particular job and were thrilled when you finally got it . . . only to find out your boss was a total jerk that made your life miserable.

-Maybe you remember celebrating the fact that you finally got pregnant after years of trying and praying . . . only to miscarry a few weeks later.

         

-Maybe you stood there at the altar gazing into the eyes of someone you thought you would be with for the rest of your life . . . but something happened. Now you’re staring into the same person’s eyes across a courtroom.

What do you think our response is going to be when we go from the good news part of life into the bad news season where everything seems to be falling apart?  From our desired Plan A into a Plan B we never asked for and don’t want?

I think there is a question that can lead us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with God at times like this… if we have the guts to ask it.  The key question is this:

What would you do if you were absolutely confident that God is with you?

Stay dry folks.

-A

The value of community

All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.   Acts 2:44-47

Monday is my day off.  It is pretty sacred to me.  I need that time to rest and relax.  I don’t do church stuff on Mondays.  One exception I make is my Monday night small group, the YSG (Youngish Small Group).  There are about ten of us if we were all able to be there at once.  We meet every other Monday night for a couple hours.  We have snacks, study the bible, or discuss a spiritual book.  We challenge each other and are trying to do what they did in the first Church:

“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts….”

This Monday we discussed the material from Pete Wilson’s Plan B.  http://www.planbbook.com/  It was totally awesome.  Here are a couple challenging questions we confronted:

·         What dreams did you have for your life while growing up?

·         What dreams came true and which ones shattered?

·         Have you ever been hurt or angry at God when plan A didn’t work out?

Deep questions, right?  And we all had a chance to express in a safe place how we struggle when God doesn’t show up the way we thought He would. 

I also like this study because the study guide also has a daily devotional to keep challenging us between meetings.  Very cool!

So if you aren’t in a small group, get one!  It is a huge part of a Christian’s spiritual growth.  And if you aren’t studying Plan B along with us at Knox, my question is – Why not?!  : )

Blessings on this beautiful Midland day!

-A 

www.knoxmidland.ca 

Joyful ministry, even when it stinks?

 In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul, not being one to mince words, throws out a challenge to all followers of Christ:

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1

This calling, which in a general way is the calling to be a disciple of Christ, and more specifically is also a calling to ministry, is a calling that I think sometimes we undervalue.  Do we really appreciate that Jesus Christ - the Creator of the universe and Saviour of the world - has uniquely gifted and called us each to a specific ministry? 

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up….” Ephesians 4:11-12

I’m being challenged lately to appreciate the calling that I have been given as pastor.  Even when it stinks.  Because a lot of the time I don’t.  I prefer to grumble and complain.

But I am blessed beyond belief to be able to preach and teach the Word of God and care for the people that God puts in my life.  I actually get to lead God’s people, at least in my little corner of the world, and that is a huge responsibility, but it is also a huge privilege.

Being is a pastor is an honour so great that every Minister of Word and Sacrament should thank God each day for the calling.  Even when the finances are in trouble, or the pews aren’t exactly full, or those three negative people that every church has are trying to block every move you make forward. 

But this isn’t just a message for pastors.  You know as well as I do that people not fortunate enough to cover the rent by doing ministry can also grumble and complain about their calling in the Church.  Whether you are an elder, music leader, Sunday school teacher, caretaker, greeter, youth worker, or whatever it is that Jesus has gifted you to do - you are commissioned by Christ to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Part of that is being thankful for the job you get to do for Jesus, even when it stinks.[1] 

So what do you do when you misplace your joy in your ministry?  

-A

www.knoxmidland.ca

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[1] “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” James 1:2