Good morning and happy Father’s Day! Just as mothers and fathers can sometimes be taken for granted, there are many lesser known characters in the Bible that we take for granted. As we read and talk about the Bible, we tend to emphasize a handful of well-known characters, yet, many of the lesser known characters deserve our attention as well.  This morning we will be talking about one of these people. His name is Andrew.  He was one of the 12 original disciples handpicked by Jesus, but his name is mentioned only 13 times in the New Testament. In comparison the Apostle Peter’s name is written 155 times in the New Testament. Suffice it to say Andrew does not figure prominently in the Biblical narrative. Yet in the times he is mentioned, his behind the scenes work was crucial to some significant moments. [1]    
 
Let’s start with John 1:35-42. This is at the beginning of the gospel where Jesus is calling the first of the 12 disciples who would minster with him for 3 years.

"The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus."  (John 1:35-42)

Andrew had taken note of Jesus and believed that Jesus was someone worth checking out.  He immediately went to his brother Peter and invited him along to come check out Jesus with him. Together they went to see Jesus and together they were called as disciples. Andrew’s brother Peter was destined to become the great Apostle Peter who would be the first leader of the church, who wrote several books of the Bible and who figures prominently in the whole New Testament. Andrew played an incredibly important role by bringing Peter to Jesus, even though it did not lead to his own recognition.
 
This doesn’t just happen in the Bible…
 
“Edward Kimball was a Sunday school teacher who not only prayed for the hyper boys in his class but also sought to win each one to the Lord personally.  He decided he would be intentional with every single last one of them. Surely, he thought about throwing in the towel.  If you have ever taught the Bible to young boys, you know that the experience can often be like herding cats.
 
One young man, in particular, didn’t seem to understand what the gospel was about so Kimball went to the shoe store where he was stocking shelves and confronted him in the stock room with the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  In the stockroom on that Saturday, he believed the gospel and received Jesus Christ as his Savior.  That young man was Dwight L. Moody. In his lifetime, Moody (1837-1899) touched two continents for God, with thousands professing Christ through his ministry.”[2]
 
I wonder how many times we think “I’ll do that, as long as I get some recognition out of it.” Or “I don’t think that little thing is significant enough to bother with.” You may feel that you are one of those behind the scenes people who never gets recognition, but your most important role may be making a connection for someone else. Your role is no less significant if it is unnoticed.
 
Our second text is John 6:1-13.  You may be familiar with the story as the miracle of the feeding of the 5000.
 
“Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.  7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there).11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten." (John 6:1-13)
 
In short Jesus performs an amazing miracle by multiplying a few loaves and fish to feed a crowd of over 5000 people. Let’s focus on some of the smaller details. Probably the most well recognized character in the story, after Jesus, is the little boy whose lunch is used by Jesus to perform the miracle. It’s a detail we rarely notice, but who was the disciple who called attention to the boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish to Jesus?  It was Andrew.
 
Again, Andrew is connecting people with Jesus and an amazing miracle results. If you happen to know my wife Michelle well, you will know that she also is a connector.  It seems that this type of role does not often get much attention, but it is crucial. Sometimes you may play a key role in something happening but your name and role escape notice.
 
Our final text is John 12:20-22.
 
"Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus." (John 12:20-22)
 
In this passage some Greeks are seeking Jesus.  They approach Philip.  Philip tells Andrew and they connect the Greeks with Jesus.  This passage doesn’t tell us much about these Greeks or what they wanted but again we see Andrew connecting people with Jesus. For Andrew, it’s not about him, but about leading people to Jesus and connecting them with the one who can provide what is needed. Jesus uses this connection with the Greeks to launch into a powerful lesson about his upcoming death (John 12:23-36). The big picture significance of this passage is that all people are receiving salvation, even the Greeks (Gentiles) who were outside of Judaism.[3] Once again, Andrew connecting people with Jesus leads to a great ministry moment
 
In each of these passages we’ve looked at Andrew is leading someone to Jesus. I think it’s safe to assume this is representative of his ministry. Andrew was a connector, quietly leading people to Jesus. Many of us probably feel like Andrew.  It’s important to remember that though he was not as prominent, Andrew was no less important than any of the other disciples. For every Billy Graham there are probably millions of Andrews, quietly going about their ministry, connecting people, and bringing people to Jesus. Keep doing what God has gifted and called you to do! Perhaps, just like Andrew, God has you in place to speak to one person in a way that no one else could.  With God, you never know what might happen.


[1] 4 mentions are lists of the disciple’s names, 2 times relate to Jesus calling him, 1 mentions that the disciples were at his house and 1 mentions his hometown.  3 of the verses that mention Andrew’s ministry are found in the gospel of John. If you’re keeping track there is one more verse unaccounted for and that is Mark 13:3-4 where 4 of the disciples including Andrew, ask Jesus about the end times.
[2] http://www.travisagnew.org/2013/07/22/the-chain-of-events-for-billy-grahams-conversion/
[3] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 76

​This morning is Pentecost Sunday. As a Pentecostal church we emphasize this day as it is the day on which the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers after Jesus had ascended back to heaven. However, it is a mistake to think that what happened on the Pentecost described in the Bible is only relevant one day a year. What we’re talking about today is that the Holy Spirit is relevant all the time.

Acts 1:8 is our foundational text, and it reads “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Jesus gives this statement to the disciples as he is about to ascend back to heaven.  At this point they do not yet know exactly what he meant by it. The disciples returned to Jerusalem and waited and prayed for the Holy Spirit.

The explanation for Jesus’ statement arrives as the Spirit is poured out (Acts 2:1-4) “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

This is simply an extraordinary experience for those first believers. We must notice that the day of Pentecost was not something theoretical.  The 120 believers baptized in the Spirit experienced something. Immediately after this experience Peter gets up and begins preaching. Peter quotes from the prophet Joel to explain what has just happened.

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
    and your young men shall see visions,
    and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
    in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:17-18, quoting from Joel 2:28-32).

If we follow the sequence of the Pentecost story, you’ll notice that Jesus gave an instruction, the Holy Spirit was poured out and then Peter preached. The outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost inaugurates the church and launches them into mission. The mission of the church that began that day has literally changed the world.

You may be saying, that’s interesting, but what does it mean for me? Why did this happen? A key thing to recognize is that God desires to give people good gifts. The Bible says:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matt 7:7-11)

A gift that God gives is never something to be afraid of. Let’s look at John’s account of Jesus’ resurrection for a bit of the backstory.  When Jesus appears to the disciples on the evening of his resurrection, he speaks these words:

“Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21-22)

Jesus was shortly to return to heaven, but Jesus’ plan is to replace himself with himself. As we saw in the Acts passage, this is essential: “Jesus had to return to the Father so that the Spirit could come.”[1] Now instead of having Jesus physically present on earth, every believer in the world will have the Holy Spirit in them. God desires to give the Holy Spirit to people.  Not just special people, or a few people, but all people.

Now, Jesus is always trying to get our attention, he always wants to reveal himself to us and he always wants to communicate with us.[2] We have to choose to respond or not. Perhaps we can think of it this way: I can know that my wife Michelle is in the room next to me, but we aren’t communicating at the moment.  However, she steps into the room where I am and asks me a question, now we are interacting. I always believed that she existed when she was in the next room, but we weren’t interacting. We can believe that the Holy Spirit exists and is around us, but it is very different to be actively interacting with him. Do you believe that the Holy Spirit wants to interact with you?

Let’s look at it this way:

God has a good plan. This is shown to people through the Holy Spirit. As adopted children followers of Jesus receive an inheritance in the kingdom of God. This inheritance is marked by the giving of the Holy Spirit; a seal and guarantee of the inheritance of followers of Jesus. “The Holy Spirit is the Christian’s seal. The experience of the Holy Spirit in their lives is the final proof to them, and indeed a demonstration to others, of the genuineness of what they have believed, and provides the inward assurance that they belong to God as children.[3]”

Paul says in Ephesians 1:13-14 “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[d] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it”

The Holy Spirit is evidence that God’s goodness is at work. Through the Holy Spirit, God is up to something Good.

Today, on Pentecost Sunday, the Holy Spirit is calling to you. If you hear his voice, will you respond?  Jesus desires to give you a good gift, to come into your life, to fill you with the Holy Spirit so you will never be alone. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide you closer to Jesus. Just as the disciples received the Holy Spirit on that original Pentecost so long ago, so today, people can still receive the Spirit. Will you receive Jesus and be filled with the Spirit today? If feel him tugging on your heart, let’s pray together today. “Jesus come into my heart, I ask you to fill me with the Holy Spirit.  Forgive me for my past and help me to live for you.” 

If you prayed those words today, you are part of God’s family!  Let someone know and we’d love you hear from you and have a conversation!

God bless and have a great week.


[1] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 109
[2] A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, pg 65
[3] Foulkes, F. (1989). Ephesians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 10, p. 64). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

This time we are continuing with part 2 of a two-part series on our CCC Core Values that started on May 3, 2020. This morning we are continuing with a deeper dive into what is behind each core value. In case you missed the last one, here are our CCC Core Values:







​

We Live for Jesus
     Because relationship with Jesus is primary, everything else flows from this.  The Holy Spirit guides us in           right relationship with Jesus

We Live Generously
     Because life is a gift meant to be shared, our church is generous with our lives, time, and money

We Grow Together
     Because community and fellowship are what we are intended for, we believe people are better together

We are Welcoming
     Because everyone deserves a warm welcome and acceptance, we believe in being a relaxed, fun loving             and friendly church

After much work, we’re exited to be unveiling these refreshed Core Values for this season at CCC.  These values are about trying to capture the DNA of CCC, who we are, what we value, and what we want to be. Our goal moving forward is that everyone at CCC can learn, understand, embrace and live our Core Values and that they are easily understood.

What are values? The core beliefs of an organization or person. Values are not methods; they are the beliefs that guide actions and methods.  How we spend our time and money shows our values, thus it’s not a value unless it’s reflected in decisions and behaviour.

To recap last time, we looked at our first two values: We Live for Jesus and We Live Generously. We believe that our values must begin and end with Jesus. He is the one we worship and it all must come back to him. On a practical level this value means that all we say and do at CCC should lead us closer to Jesus. Whether it is a conversation, program, relationship or worship service we strive to facilitate an atmosphere that is conducive to people encountering Jesus.  Our second value is We Live Generously. The basis for generosity is found in Jesus’ love for people. As a church we believe that it is important to share the life that we have found in Jesus. As we’re generous with our time, lives and money we show the love and generosity of Jesus.

Let's look now at the next two Core Values.

Value #3 We Grow Together

“Because community and fellowship are what we are intended for, we believe people are better together”

The Bible is clear that followers of Jesus are meant to grow together. Christian Psychologist David Benner writes: “The Christian spiritual journey is a journey we take with others.  Each of us must take our own journey, and for each of us that journey will be unique.  But not of us is intended to make that journey alone.  The myth of the solitary Christian making his or her way alone flies in the face of everything the Bible teaches about the church as the body of Christ (I Cor 12:12-31)…We cannot make the journey apart from spiritual companions and community,”[1]

People are meant to be together and we all need each other. How does this work out? We believe in gathering on Sunday mornings and beyond Sunday mornings. The body of Christ is meant to work together in unity, each part (person) serving its purpose. In the Apostle Paul’s view, the church cannot grow in an individualistic manner, i.e. we cannot have a bunch of diverse parts growing separately and then slap them together and hope that it works. The body of Christ is meant to grow together.

Each part shapes and encourages other parts in the body of Christ as they grow together. As a child grows, the body grows in unison. A foot does not growth without symmetrical growth in the legs, hips, bones etc. This coordination and unity in the body of Christ is only possible through Christ. “Christ is at once the One into whom all Christians grow and out of whom the church consolidates itself in love. This process depends on the interrelationship of the various parts of the body.  The whole is continually being integrated and kept firm by each separate ligament.”[2]

Just going to church does not make one a Christian and it does not guarantee growth in Christian maturity. Thus, there are many ways to gather beyond Sunday mornings. People gather in small groups to study the bible and pray and people gather one on one to grow in their relationship with each other and with Jesus.  We often need the help of mentors, peers, teachers, friends, counsellors, pastors and coaches to grow in maturity. We need specific friendships and relationships and these provide the links and connections that form the corporate body of Christ. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to grow in isolation. Thus, We Grow Together.

Value #4 We are Welcoming

Our fourth value is: We are Welcoming. Because everyone deserves a warm welcome and acceptance, we believe in being a relaxed, fun loving and friendly church.

Many people comment that CCC is a friendly and warm church. We really believe that that is true. Like our community, our atmosphere is casual and fun. Part of the underlying value here is that you can be who you are here, you don’t have to pretend or hide your quirks and personality. Most importantly we believe that everyone deserves to be welcomed. If we only welcome people who know and like, we’re simply not participating in all that Jesus has calls people to (Matt 5:43-48). Welcoming and accepting people does not mean that we always agree with everyone and everything, but we welcome and accept first and have discussions based on love and relationship. We trust that Jesus wants the best for people and our role is to lead people to him, not to judge.

If we have an aspirational goal in this area, it would be that we go deeper with people. We are often warm and friendly and do a great job of initial welcome, but we also need to establish deeper relationships and friendships and trust amongst each other.

That’s a wrap on our first deeper dive into our new CCC Core Values, but it’s just the beginning of our values emphasis. Going forward we believe that everything we say and do must align with these values or we aren’t going to do it. Just as people have different skills and gifts, so each church has unique personalities and talents. The process of discovery is to find what we do best and what Jesus is calling us to do in this season and pursue those things. We simply cannot do everything, so the things we do, we want to do to the best of our ability.

We live for Jesus, we live generously, we grow together, and we are welcoming.

We hope this is your experience at CCC (even online). God bless and have a great week.


[1] Vantage Point 3, Growing up Together pg 63 Quoting David Benner, Sacred Companions: The Gift of Spiritual Friendship and Direction, 40
[2] Barker and Kohlenberger III eds, Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition: New Testament, 1994, pg 769

 This time we are launching a two-part series on the CCC Core Values. The COVID-19 pandemic threw a bit of a wrench into things, but the reality is that values become more important in a crisis, not less. These are our Core Values at CCC:







​

We Live for Jesus
     Because relationship with Jesus is primary, everything else flows from this. The Holy Spirit guides us in           right relationship with Jesus

We Live Generously
     Because life is a gift meant to be shared, our church is generous with our lives, time, and money

We Grow Together
     Because community and fellowship are what we are intended for, we believe people are better together

We are Welcoming
     Because everyone deserves a warm welcome and acceptance, we believe in being a relaxed, fun loving             and friendly church

Essentially these values are what CCC is all about. We’ll start this time with our first two values. Before we jump in however, let’s back up a bit and explain what values are.

Values:  Core beliefs of an organization or person. Values are not methods; they are the beliefs that guide actions and methods.  How we spend our time and money shows our values, thus it’s not a value unless it’s reflected in decisions and behaviour.

Beginning early in 2019 we realized that our core values had not been examined or updated for about 15 years. After months of conversations, research and input we are exited to be unveiling these refreshed Core Values for this season at CCC. These values are about trying to capture the DNA of CCC, who we are, what we value, and what we want to be. Our goal moving forward is that everyone at CCC can learn, understand, embrace and live our Core Values and that they are easily understood.

Value #1 We live for Jesus

Let’s look at value #1. The first subtext of this value states: “Because relationship with Jesus is primary, everything else flows from this.”  This may be stating the obvious for a church, but we felt it was important to state the obvious here. It’s important that our values begin and end with Jesus, otherwise there would be no point to any of the rest of it. This value is about pointing towards Jesus. A relationship with Jesus comes before everything else. Matthew 6:33 reads “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we give Jesus first priority, everything else falls into place.

So how do we live out this value? We believe that everything we say and do at CCC should point people towards Jesus. The church is not a social club: everything is about facilitating moments for people to encounter Jesus. Our church services cannot necessarily make people encounter Jesus, but we can facilitate an atmosphere that is conducive to people hearing from Jesus.

As a youth pastor one of my biggest highlights was going to a big youth conference called HistoryMaker because many of the youth would encounter Jesus there. They would then sometimes ask why they struggled to encounter Jesus at home after an experience at HistoryMaker. The simple answer is that HistoryMaker provided an atmosphere that was conducive to people encountering Jesus. Much prayer surrounded the event and the youth went to HistoryMaker expecting to encounter Jesus. If we don’t expect to encounter Jesus it makes it much harder to hear from him. On the positive side, we can set an atmosphere where people are more likely to encounter Jesus. This means that our church services, preaching, volunteer ministries, conversations and relationships are all opportunities to help us draw closer to Jesus, rather than ends in themselves.

The second part of the subtext for the first value statement is: “The Holy Spirit guides us in right relationship with Jesus.” John 16:13 reads “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” Primarily the Spirit leads people to truth.[1] The truth the Spirit leads people into is the person of Jesus. When people follow the Spirit, they inevitably draw closer to Jesus.  In short, the Holy Spirit leads people to Jesus and we’re right back to the main point of value #1: We Live for Jesus.

Value #2 We Live Generously

Our second value is We Live Generously. Because life is a gift meant to be shared, our church is generous with our lives, time, and money.

We feel that this church is a generous church. We don’t live in a high-income community, yet many people at Crossroads give generously of their money. In 2019 89% of CCC members gave towards the mission of CCC.  That is a very high number and a great level of buy in. Of course, generosity goes far beyond money. We have noted many times that many CCC members volunteer extensively both at CCC and in the community. People are generous with their talents, skills and time.

Why are Christians called to live generous lives? We believe that because Jesus saved people and extended the invitation of adoption into his family, that we are called to be generous people (Eph 1:5). God has given people everything they have, so we can give to others. If Jesus is generous to invite us to share his life, we can be generous to others and share our lives (John 15:1-5). Being generous as a church means we believe that it is important to share the life that we have found in Jesus. This is meant to go far beyond what happens in the church building. As we’re generous with our time, lives and money people see the love and generosity of Jesus. It’s not about hoarding what we have been given, but actively sharing it. In John 10:10 Jesus says: “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Life with Jesus is abundant life, and this is the life we get to be generous with!

As we wrap up this time, we’ve looked at the first two of the refreshed CCC core values: We Live for Jesus and We Live Generously.

​The goal is that these values guide everything we say and do and help form our church in a way that is more and more Christlike. So today let’s Live for Jesus and Live Generously!  In two weeks we’ll explore our next two values We Grow Together and We are Welcoming.


[1] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 94

This time we want to look at the Biblical concept of Sabbath. You may have some concepts of what it means from reading the Bible or hearing how Jews practice the Sabbath, but Sabbath seems to be archaic, a nice idea but not realistic or needed for our world. Our closest modern equivalent to Sabbath is ‘the weekend’ but as we’ll see this is rather different from Sabbath. The Sabbath is an important practice and has great lessons for people who are Christians and those who are not.

Let’s begin with a definition of Sabbath. “Doing no work to rest in God’s person and provision; praying and playing with God and others.”[1] Traditionally Jews practice Sabbath for 24 hours from sundown on Friday evening to sundown on Saturday, doing no work and following a number of rules and guidelines.[2] Though I had never practiced Sabbath, I was pretty sure I didn’t want to as images of sitting on hard chairs in starchy clothing was what came to mind. I saw Sabbath as something from the Old Testament or medieval monasteries, mostly irrelevant for today. Today I see Sabbath much differently and I think these is something special for everyone as we unpack it.

The Sabbath certainly begins in the Old Testament, but it does not remain there. Sabbath began in creation as the Genesis account tells us that for 6 days God created and on the seventh day God rested (Gen 2:1-3). This was the first Sabbath. Later, Sabbath is incorporated into God’s laws for the Israelites. The Sabbath command is written twice in the lists of the ten commandments Exodus 20:8-11 and Deut 5:12-15.[3]  In the New Testament, Jesus stirs up some controversy when he goes against the accepted Sabbath practices of his day in the Jewish culture.  Mark 2:23-28 reads:

“23 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:23-28)

As a faithful Jew, Jesus certainly practiced Sabbath but not as the ‘religious’ Pharisees believed it should be. In creating a whole bunch of rules for Sabbath, the Pharisees had missed the meaning and intent of Sabbath.
In modern times Jews continue to practice a traditional Sabbath. For Christians, Sabbath is generally not a strict religious observance as Jew practice it, but there is certainly value for Christians to practice Sabbath. So, what is the meaning of Sabbath as Jesus practiced and taught it?

My understanding of Sabbath had always been that it is primarily about what we don’t do.  This is the trap the Pharisees had fallen into, they made rules around the rules, so that no one would do any work. However, that is only half of the meaning of Sabbath. Sabbath is about not working so that we can pray AND play. We delight in our families, friends, God, and creation. Sabbath is a gift to people from God. I love author Mark Buchanan’s definition of Sabbath: “So I submit this as Sabbath’s golden rule: Cease from what is necessary.  Embrace that which gives life.  And then do whatever you want.”[4] Sabbath is meant to be life giving and full of joy, rest and peace. I will submit a few lessons Sabbath teaches and then give a few practical ideas for practicing Sabbath.

Sabbath teaches us that we are not God

First, Sabbath teaches us that we are not God. So much of our human striving revolves around our work and around performing. We feel we must work hard to measure up. If I don’t get the work done, it won’t get done so we push harder and work harder and try to do more. Yet we can never achieve satisfaction by how much work we do. The gift of Sabbath is that we learn we are not God. “We stop on Sabbaths because God is on the throne, assuring us that the world will not fall apart if we cease our activities.”[5] When we stop working, we realize all those ‘essential’ activities do not make the world spin.  God keeps working when I stop. I think this is also an important lesson during COVID. So many of the things we busy ourselves with are not as important as we think they are.

Sabbath teaches us to rest

Secondly, Sabbath teaches us to rest. “Sabbath-keeping is an invitation to rest because God rested. This rest serves as a sign of contemplation and abundance. God’s gifts to humanity are so generous that we are able to rest. Our rest indicates that we depend completely on the God who redeemed us from sin, death and evil.”[6] Perhaps it sounds ironic at first, but we work far better from a place of rest than from a place of frantic activity. Have you ever been faced with a problem that seemed insurmountable only to go to bed, get a good sleep and wake up in the morning with a straightforward solution? This is what rest does for all areas of our life. There is a point of diminishing returns where working harder actually becomes counter productive. Ironically, rest and quiet are the first things we let go of when we get busy, but they are the things we most need in order to keep going. It’s better to stop, rest, reflect, recharge and then get back to work instead of driving ourselves to exhaustion in the hopes we might get our to-do list done. (We know the to-do list is never ending).

Sabbath teaches us to listen to God

Thirdly Sabbath teaches us to listen to God. The busy, frantic and stressed heart common in our culture is surrounded by noise and is holding onto much; generally, God gets crowded out. The way we often try to hear God would be like trying to have a conversation with a friend while the tv is at full volume, someone is yelling nearby, and your phone is ringing (my heart races a little faster just saying that).  You need to get away from the noise to hear God: “To learn to enter God’s Sabbath rest you’ll probably need to incorporate solitude with Jesus, especially as you’re first learning this discipline. Solitude helps us to unhook from the pressures of daily life — our responsibilities, the expectations people have for us, media, and noise.”[7] Sabbath allows our hearts and minds to settle down enough to hear God speak.

Sabbath teaches us that something better awaits

Fourthly, Sabbath teaches us that something better awaits. Heb 4:8-10 reads: “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his.” The Sabbath we practice on earth is a genuine taste of the Sabbath rest of eternity when Jesus returns. “With the coming of Jesus, the Sabbath took on new meaning. Not only did it point back to creation, but it anticipated the eternal Sabbath rest and peace we will enjoy once we see Him face to face.”[8] Sabbath both celebrates and anticipates the joy of full fellowship with Jesus.

Let’s conclude with a few practical tips for practicing Sabbath.

• Choose one day or a period of hours each week that works for you and your family to practice Sabbath
• On that day, commit to doing no work. Your definition of ‘work’ must be your own but for me, anything that feels like something I ‘have to’ or ‘should’ do is work.
• Then do things that bring delight and joy. Go for a hike with your family, drink a latte in your backyard, read a book for the fun and joy of it. (choose whatever brings you joy)
• During your Sabbath spend time in prayer with God and celebrate that he gives us the gift of life
• Dedicate at least some of your Sabbath to finding space to listen to God, pray, read scripture, celebrate God’s goodness, and reflect on life.
• To help practice Sabbath without distractions I find it helpful to turn my phone off or leave it someplace out of sight.

This is by no means an exhaustive study of Sabbath, but I hope it piques your curiosity. For more information see the footnotes and check out some of those articles and books.

God gives rest! This is an amazing concept for our productivity driven society. Try Sabbath out and see what happens in your life. You may be surprised!


[1] List of Spiritual Disciplines: https://www.soulshepherding.org/spiritual-disciplines-list/
[2] Definition of Jewish Sabbath: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sabbath-Judaism
[3] Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God, pg 86
[4] Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God, pg 129
[5] Pete Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, pg 167
[6] Pete and Geri Scazzero, Sabbath FAQs, http://newlife.nyc/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sabbath_faqs1.pdf
[7] https://www.soulshepherding.org/sabbath/
[8] Pete and Geri Scazzero, Sabbath FAQs, http://newlife.nyc/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sabbath_faqs1.pdf
​

​This morning is Easter, the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.  The past week is known as holy week and leads up to the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection this morning.  Last Sunday was Palm Sunday and we looked at Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem.  On Friday we recognized Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ death.  This morning we celebrate his resurrection!  We want to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, but go one step further and see what happened after Jesus rose from the dead.  We’re looking this morning at John chapter 20:11-23:

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,[b] “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,[c] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.””

The resurrection of Jesus is amazing, but it is a difficult concept to wrap our minds around.  Let’s explain the biblical account of the Easter events and see what we can learn.  Jesus died on the cross and with his death he offered the perfect sacrifice that atoned (covered over - forgave) the sins of all people.  When Jesus rose again, he defeated death.  By rising Jesus defeated the power of sin (death) once and for all.  By dying and rising again Jesus opened the way for all people to have a personal relationship with him.  These are the basic facts from the Bible, but what do they mean? 

Many historians and many people accept that Jesus existed and walked the earth, but far fewer people accept that he rose from the dead.  This is the challenge and the crux of the Christian faith.  If one accepts that Jesus rose from the dead, one must accept that he is divine, that he is God and that he really was who he said he was.  It’s a difficult truth to wrap our minds around.

We see doubt reflected in the reactions of those who were the first witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, though Jesus had spent years preparing them for this moment.  Mary Magdalene visited the tomb and upon seeing it empty, she thought that someone had removed Jesus’ body (John 20:1-2).  Peter and another disciple, probably John, ran to the tomb upon hearing Mary’s report. They believed, but still did not fully understand that Jesus had risen (John 20:3-10).  Thomas perhaps is the most famous of the doubters.  He would not believe the evidence of the resurrection until he had physically touched Jesus (John 20:24-29).  Slowly, the disciples were convinced, yet even for those who had been prepared for this moment, resurrection is an astonishing concept and they were slow to believe.  I wonder this morning, where do you find yourself in this story?  Are you a doubting disciple?  Do you believe but not understand?

It’s interesting here to compare Christmas and Easter.  Both events are all about Jesus and both are equally miraculous.  We know that Christmas has become not just a Christian celebration but has been massively commercialized.  Interestingly, Easter has not really been commercialized in our culture.  There is the Easter bunny and some chocolate and some cards, but it is nothing like the commercial engine that is the Christmas season.  Eugene Peterson suggests that this is because we can wrap our minds around the concept of Jesus coming as a gift at Christmas, but it is much harder to wrap our minds around the resurrection of Jesus.  “The do-it-yourself, self-help culture of North America has so thoroughly permeated our imaginations that we don't give much sustained attention to the biggest thing of all: Resurrection. And the reason we don't give much attention to it is because the resurrection is not something we can use or manipulate or control or improve.” [1]  The reason we can’t use or manipulate the resurrection is that the resurrection is a miracle that leads to the greatest gift of all: Salvation. This gift of a relationship with Jesus is offered freely to all people.  We simply must accept it.   The struggle is that we are taught that nothing comes for free.  Anything worth having is worth paying for.  How can the greatest treasure we can discover not cost anything?  Let’s keep going.

Just over a week after Jesus rose again, all the disciples closest to Jesus are convinced of his resurrection.  They have finally moved from unbelief to faith.[2]  John could have ended his account of Jesus here, but he does not.  In John’s account of Jesus’ resurrection, when Jesus appears to the disciples on the evening of his resurrection, he speaks these words: “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21-22)

The plan for the disciples is straightforward – as God the father sent Jesus, so Jesus is now sending out the disciples.  They will not be alone on their mission– Jesus breathes on them and says: “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  Jesus was shortly to return to heaven, but Jesus’ plan is to replace himself with himself.  This is essential: “Jesus had to return to the Father so that the Spirit could come.”[3] Now instead of having Jesus physically present on earth, every believer in the world will have the Holy Spirit in them.  The Holy Spirit was given that the disciples of Jesus would be able to have connection with Jesus even after he was physically gone.  More than that John 20:22 refers “to the creation of the church, that is, the impartation of eternal life.”[4]  This is the gift of Jesus’ resurrection: Salvation and the Spirit.  There is in nothing people can do to earn it or pay for it.  If we could earn it, it would not be salvation.

John 10:10 states “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Jesus came that we may have life.  “The work of the Spirit and that of Jesus flow hand in hand.  It is Jesus who atones for sin, the Spirit who in regeneration cleanses in a dynamic way.”[5]  In other words, this means that Jesus forgives our sins while the Spirit works in us to bring new life.  The Bible puts it like this: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor 5:17).  This is what Jesus offers: salvation, the gift of new life, the gift of relationship with him, the gift of forgiveness of sins, the gift of abundant life.

If this has connected with you this morning, I would like to invite you to begin a relationship with Jesus.  Let me pray with you “Jesus forgive my sins; I accept you as the Lord of my life and I receive the Spirit.  I want to live for you.” 

We want to connect with you – if you accepted Jesus please leave a comment or send us a message on facebook www.facebook.com/MerrittCrossroadsCommunityChurch or send an email to admin@merrittcrossroads.com. You can also text the world ‘church’ to 250-378-2911 and follow the prompts.  We will respond to your message as soon as possible.

He is Risen!  God bless.


[1] https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2016/state-of-church-ministry-2017/learning-to-love-church.html?utm_source=leadership-html&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=25946207&utm_content=695569821&utm_campaign=email
[2] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 109
[3] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999  pg 109
[4] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 111
[5] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 113

Today is Palm Sunday, one week before we celebrate Easter.  From the biblical accounts this is also known as the triumphal entry. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem kicked off the final week of his life on earth and set in motion the events that would lead to his crucifixion.  Let’s read in Matthew 21:1-11. 

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
    humble, and mounted on a donkey,
    on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”” (Matt 21:1-11)

Jesus often spoke in parables but in this passage, we can take Jesus’ actions as an acted parable rather than a spoken one.  In acting out this parable we can see that Jesus is revealing himself for those who have eyes to see the story.  Jesus was there for all to see and he revealed himself more and more clearly as his death approached, yet many failed to grasp the significance of what he was saying and doing, while others chose to deliberately ignore what they saw.  Still, some saw Jesus for who he really is.  Some people would say that Jesus is hidden today, but just as on Palm Sunday Jesus continues to reveal himself for those who are willing to see.

The scene is set for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and Jesus calls for his disciples to get him a donkey to ride on.  Jesus spent most of his ministry walking, so why at this point would he need an animal to ride? This was no pointless joy ride, but rather a ride with a point.  There are a couple reasons Jesus did this.  As Matthew points out, Jesus is fulfilling prophecy by riding the donkey into Jerusalem (Zech 9:9). Furthermore, sometimes the rulers of Israel would ride a donkey, but a donkey, especially this young one, was no warhorse and would have been useless for a king in time of war.  By riding the humble donkey Jesus is symbolizing that he brings peace, not war.  This little donkey was untrained and had never been ridden before.  I’m imagining it’s not particularly easy to ride an untrained donkey, yet the animal remains under control.  Just as Jesus controlled storms, he can calm the untrained donkey.  This points to Jesus’ mastery of nature and the peaceful symbolism of his arrival.[1]

It is clear from events that the crowd recognizes the entry of Jesus as that of a king and likewise Jesus intends to symbolize the arrival of a king.  However, the crowd and Jesus have different concepts of what kingship is.  If you imagine the typical king much show was made of the king’s arrival into a city, especially an important city like Jerusalem.  There might have been parades, festivals and all kinds of lavish gestures centred around the king. The king would ride the best horse or chariot and would be surrounded with well-dressed followers and rich decorations. The most important people of the day would be clamouring for a role in the procession or a well situated spot to observe. Contrast this imagery with the procession Jesus leads into Jerusalem. Jesus, dressed in the everyday wear of a lower class citizen, rides a young untrained donkey, leading a dusty rag tag group of followers who have been with him all over the countryside for three years. There is no finery to be displayed and no pretentious nobles to fawn over the king. A king is arriving, but it is not the typical royal affair.

There is a suggestion in the story that Jesus leads a crowd into Jerusalem as people follow him in from the countryside, while others pour out of Jerusalem to meet him as he enters the city.  There is this mixing and mingling of people and crowds as the scene comes together. What was the crowd thinking that day? We have a few hints as we observe.

The crowd certainly recognized Jesus as some sort of king as they laid down their cloaks and cut branches to put on the road.  This may suggest the coronation of King Jehu in 2 Kings 9:13 where he stood on top of the coats of people to symbolize that he was the lord of the owners of those clothes.[2]  In Jerusalem the crowd sings and cries out the traditional phrase Hosanna, meaning “Save us.”  By the time of Jesus this expression had come to be more of an exclamation of praise than the literal cry “save us”.   This means that the crowd is recognizing the Messianic symbolism of Jesus’ arrival. While the crowd recognizes much of what Jesus is doing and even the Messianic symbolism, many are still not sure who Jesus is.

On this Palm Sunday as Jesus entered Jerusalem it was not that the city did not know who Jesus was, they surely were aware of Jesus and his ministry.  The question is more philosophical: why is there such a fuss over this man?  Is he a king?  Is he the Messiah?  What are his intentions in the city? The arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem was clearly an upset to the accepted order and politics of the day. The city was stirred up and buzzing with questions and rumours. “The coming of Jesus into Jerusalem, along with his death and resurrection, is literally and figuratively an event that shakes the foundations of the earth and of society.  Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem is an apocalyptic event.”[3]

It's worth asking at this point, if Jesus walked into our lives today, like he did into Jerusalem, what would our response be?  Where in the crowd might you be standing? 

It seems the crowd is still not sure who Jesus is.  Is he a prophet?  A king?  The Messiah?  The final comment in this passage speaks to the skepticism of the crowd (Matt 21:10).  They call out Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee – the sentiment being that this is a very unlikely place for a prophet to come from. In many ways Jesus did not fit the mold that the crowd had laid out for him. He did not follow the accepted traditions and norms of an arriving king. It is a strange entry, this Palm Sunday procession.

At the end of his earthly ministry Jesus fulfills the Old Testament roles of Prophet, Priest and King, in one person, the Messiah.  In this acted parable, Jesus is revealing himself for those who are willing to put the clues together. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear on this first Palm Sunday this is the long awaited arrival of the Messianic King, the prophet who follows Moses.  As events unfold during this week, Jesus is about to fulfill his priestly duties through the sacrifice of the cross.  The crowd had many questions as Jesus entered their city.  We must ask ourselves today: Who is Jesus to you?  How might Jesus challenge your perceptions of him? 

Today: Talk to Jesus and get to know him. He stands by ready be in relationship with you if he is invited in.

Stay tuned as next week we look at Jesus, the risen king on Easter Sunday.


[1] Barker and Kohlenberger III eds, Expositors Bible Commentary Abridged Edition: New Testament, 1994, pg 94
[2] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 219
[3] Arrington and Stronstad eds, Life in the Spirit New Testament Commentary, 1999 pg 219

In this post we’ll explore a theological response to the COVID-19 crisis.  The main points in this post come from Dr. Marv Penner.  Let’s examine a few of the features of this crisis and then see how God’s character addresses this crisis.

First, this pandemic and indeed any unfolding crisis is unexpected.  We can see the response on a personal and societal level is constantly changing as new information comes in.  We are in a state of uncertainly.  Yet as we look to the Bible, we see that God does not change. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb 13:8). Who he is has never changed and never will change, no matter what is going on in the world.  Because God is stable and unchanging, we can rest in him and put our trust in him, despite shifting and changing circumstances.

Secondly, a crisis is unanticipated.  No one knew this pandemic was coming.  People, including governments and leaders, were caught off guard.  However, this was not a surprise to God.  He is sovereign, meaning he is aware of events, even future events.  Because God was not caught off guard, we can look to him for our response. “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col 1:16-17).

Thirdly, crisis is unpredictable.  We speak of physical distancing, flattening the curve, modelling and doing our part, yet we really don’t know what is going to happen.  However, God is omniscient, meaning he is constantly aware of everything.  He knows what is happening. “…your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matt 6:8b). If God knows what is happening, we can continue to trust him for the outcome.

Fourthly, crisis is uncontrollable.  People have quickly discovered we are far less in control of the world than we would like to think we are.  We cannot control the financial markets, the health care systems of the world or the spread of disease.  The result is stress and anxiety.  Though this is our human condition God does not remove himself.  God is compassionate and faithful.  God truly cares what is happening in our world.  Rather than watching from a distance Jesus walks with people. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor 1:3-4)  In a time of crisis, some people will turn to God, the one who is trustworthy, rather than to the financial systems and governments that are unable to stop a pandemic.

Finally, in this crisis there is no clear end in sight.  We don’t know how long this pandemic will last or what the long term effects will be.  It can be easy to spiral into a negative thought pattern, consider worst case scenarios and give up that this is ever going to get better, but God gives hope.  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom 15:13).  With God there is always hope for better days. 

In the end nothing can defeat God’s love.  God cares more about who people are becoming than our circumstances.  How can you redeem this time?  What is God teaching you?

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:37-39)

We’re a few weeks into the COVID-19 crisis now and I think we need to be asking: how are you doing?  This time we want to take a look at our souls and ask how is your soul doing? You may be saying “what’s a soul?”  or “I know I have a soul, but I have no idea what it is.”  Before we get into how our souls are doing, we need to understand what the soul is.

The soul is the part of people that is not physical.  It’s what makes you, you, and consists of the will, mind and body. 

• The will is your intentions – the ability to make choices
• The mind is your thoughts and feelings, your values, your conscience. 
• The body is your physical self: your body language and actions. 
• The soul is what integrates or holds together all our parts[1] 

The soul persists after our physical bodies die.  The soul is the part of us that is eternal.  Knowing how your soul is doing is a little bit complicated, yet we can learn to understand our souls.  Just as there are warnings when things are wrong physically in our bodies, the soul also gives indications that things are not right, but they can be more subtle and hard to recognize.

This definition is key to understanding the soul: “What is running your life at any given moment is your soul.  Not external circumstances, not your thoughts, not your intentions, not even your feelings, but your soul.  The soul is that aspect of your whole being that correlates, integrates, and enlivens everything going on in the various dimensions of the self.  The soul is the life center of human beings.”[2]

Whether we are aware of it or not the soul has a constant desire.  This desire is for God, our creator.  Especially in a crisis, we see the limits of the things we tend to put our trust in.  The financial system is in disarray.  People have lost jobs; our health care system is challenged.  Governments are scrambling to provide solutions.  As human systems fail, the desire of our souls is designed to lead us to God, who has solutions.  Even, or especially, in a crisis, you can have a life transforming relationship with Jesus.  This is because Jesus cares more about who are you becoming than what circumstances you are facing.
 
Because our souls and our inner lives are invisible, they are easy to neglect.[3]  In a crisis it is totally normal to feel anxious and more stressed and worried than normal. Your soul needs some care.

For some solutions let’s look at the Psalms.  The Psalmists poured out everything to God

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)

The Psalmist expresses that the soul thirsts for God.  Just like we need to drink water physically, the soul must be filled by God.  The soul centered in God knows peace.  Psalm 23 is a great picture of this:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

The amazing thing is that there is opportunity to grow closer to God where you are right now.  Even in tough circumstances you can know deep peace (not to say you won’t be anxious or stressed, but your foundation is secure).  The Apostle Paul says in Phil 4:12-13 “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”  Paul is at peace and content despite external circumstances. This is because his soul is secure in Jesus

So how do you center your soul on Jesus?
 
Speak to your soul 

It might feel weird, but you can speak to your own soul.  The Psalmist speaks to his own soul:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)
 
Ask: How are you doing my soul?  I find when I do this, I get an answer or an impression.  Knowing where your soul is at helps you to know what you need to do next.
 
Get Healthy 

To be healthy the soul must turn to Jesus.  We have a great illustration of this with the woman at the well in John 4.  “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.[b] The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)  Jesus provides people with living water.  This water quenches the desire of the soul.
 
Put your identity in Jesus. 
 
The soul centered on Jesus has an eternal future.  “God planted eternity in our hearts so that we would not stop seeking life beyond ourselves.”[4]  The soul centered on Jesus keeps returning to him.  It’s like when you’re using google maps on your phone.  When you push the little GPS button the screen re-centers on your location.  The center point is Jesus and we must continually re-orientate our souls to him.   
 
In conclusion here are a few practices for refreshing your soul:

1. Read the Bible. The Holy Spirit illuminates God’s word to people and speaks as we read it.  The soul craves connection with God.  Read a passage like Psalm 23 and mediate on it.
2. Be honest with your emotions.  Seek out a trusted friend (online) and/or see a counsellor (online or via phone) and pour out your heart.  Build a support system into your life and use it.  Stay connected.
3. Take care of the basics:  Eat well, drink lots of water, get exercise, get enough sleep
4. Spend intentional time with Jesus.  Pray, remind yourself of his presence. 
5. Even in this time of physical distancing where many regular activities are cancelled, digital devices don’t allow us any time to be bored.  Put down your phone, turn the TV off and spend some quality time just thinking.  Grab a paper journal and write your thoughts and feelings
6. Practice the spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude.  “Only silence will allow us life-transforming concentration upon God.”[5]  In fact I preached on these two disciplines just a month ago.  Scroll down to Feb 24, 2020 and see the blog post for that sermon.

Let this time of physical distancing be a re-orientation for your soul.  Evaluate what the things in our lives mean.  What is most important?  When this ends, what might you want to do differently in your life?  If you don’t know Jesus, maybe this is the time you need to begin a relationship with Jesus.  If you want more information on beginning a relationship with Jesus click here.

God bless and may you find refreshing for your soul in Jesus! 

P.S.  Check out the book Soul Keeping by John Ortberg for a great soul care read.

[1] Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. Pg 42-43
[2] Soul Keeping by John Ortberg. Pg 39
[3] Soul Keeping by John Ortberg Pg 38
[4] Soul Keeping by John Ortberg Pg 112
[5] Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines, pg 164

Given ‘social distancing’ and the cancellation of so many activities in the world right now, we suddenly find ourselves with a lot of extra time on our hands.  With that in mind here are some funny ways to waste time

• Watch funny cat videos online
• Pretend you’re a robot
• Repeat the same word over and over until it loses its meaning

Sometimes prayer is one of those things that feels like a waste of time.  We may put a lot of effort into it and it can feel like we don’t get a lot of results.  There isn’t always something to ‘See.’  Yet prayer accomplishes much that we cannot see behind the scenes.  I would like to propose that prayer is the best possible way you can ‘waste’ your time, especially during a time like this.  Rather than finding meaningless or silly ways to waste time, spend some time in prayer!  Let me propose 4 things prayer accomplishes.

First, prayer helps us admit that we are not God

As the COVID-19 crisis has taught us, we are much less in control of our lives and our world than we might like to think.  “We are witnessing at this very moment the humbling of a civilization that believed itself to be in control of the world—impervious to this kind of threat.”[1]  When everything is going well in the world, it’s easy to think we don’t need God.  Now, when things are not going well, people may be much more likely to turn to God.  Prayer has always taught followers of Jesus to rely on him.  Turning to Jesus in prayer, helps people admit that they are not God; we are not in control.

During a crisis we face all kinds of questions about the meaning of life and questions of safety and security.  Jesus has always had the answers, but maybe we’re more ready to hear them now.  Over 2000 years ago Jesus said “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Notice that Jesus didn’t say that people have overcome the world, he said that HE has overcome the world.  Prayer has always taught people that they are not God and are not in control, but the lesson is more relevant than ever now.
 
Secondly, prayer centers people on God.

Prayer reorients our posture from looking at ourselves or at our world, to looking at God.  Recent events have certainly pointed this out.  Prayer has always pointed to something greater than humanity.  It is easy to spend all day reading and watching the news and spiraling deeper into despair and fear.  Prayer refocuses people on God and moves away from focusing on what we cannot control.  Matthew 6:34 says “34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” In this time, we can’t predict what is going to happen tomorrow.  Prayer teaches us that there is something beyond our present circumstances and troubles.

I Pet 1:3-7 says “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Peter here is speaking of an eternal perspective.  An eternal perspective requires us to believe in something we can’t see and do not yet fully grasp.  Prayer orients our hearts to heaven and towards an eternal perspective. 

Thirdly, prayer teaches about sacrifice and caring for others

Spending time in prayer can feel like a sacrifice, as we are giving up time that we feel could be used on ‘practical’ things.  What better way to spend time right now however, than in praying for our world and for others?  Eph 6:18 says: “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” Prayer helps us orient ourselves towards those that need help.  You can give up some of your time in order to pray for other people and then turn those prayers into practical action.  Maybe Jesus will lead you towards a certain person you could help.  You can reach out digitally to someone that needs encouragement and friendly voice. 

Finally, prayer builds our relationship with Jesus

Jesus is relational and he does not engage in social distancing!  For people that don’t know Jesus, this is a great chance to ask some deep questions about life and the meaning and purpose of humanity.  In this time of social distancing, we can engage in spiritual closeness.  In a time where we suddenly have extra time on our hands this is a great opportunity to spend time getting to know Jesus.

In conclusion, I think Romans 12:12 is a great verse for these times: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” When we look to God, there is always hope.  Prayer leads us to God, hope will keep us going, and patience will prevent panic.

Stay close to Jesus, stay in touch with each other (from a distance) and continue to trust God. 

There is hope for tomorrow!


[1] https://albertmohler.com/2020/03/16/the-humbling-of-civilization-praying-for-the-mercy-of-god