Easter

February 28, 2015

Easter Devotional – February 28

Matthew 6:5-15

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 ‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

What would it look like if heaven and earth met? Some say that prayer is where heaven and earth mingle. Prayer is not about saying the right words. It’s about spending one-on-one time with a holy and powerful, and personal God.

The example we’re given of how to pray begins with an acknowledgement of who God is. We need to be reminded of who He is first, which helps us to understand that He knows what we need even if we don’t know how to put it into words.

Do you understand the privilege and power behind prayer? Will you take it seriously? Do you believe prayer can change you? Is prayer at the very center of your life?

Prayer: Father, teach me to pray, to forgive, to live a Christ-centered life.

 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

February 27, 2015

Easter Devotional – February 27

Matthew 5:1-12

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Here’s a glimpse of possibly a whole new way to live. A way that’s not necessarily popular and definitely not natural. And to top it off we’ve been assured that we’ll be persecuted for it. Any takers?

It seems like this new kingdom of God is full of people who have been through the ringer. People like you and I.

Deep down in our souls is this yearning for our world to be flipped upside down, this yearning for a King to make everything right — to restore order and righteousness. While it’s easy to follow the pattern of the world and be concerned with building our personal kingdoms, Jesus is concerned with our hearts and how we are living for His kingdom. He assures us that although we will face trials and persecution in this life, all will be righted in His kingdom, the Kingdom of heaven.

Which of the beatitudes resonates the loudest with you? In what areas of your life are you experiencing persecution? How are you living for the Kingdom of heaven?

Prayer: Jesus, help me to grasp this new way of living. Help me to follow You and Your ways as I look forward to Your new Kingdom

 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

February 26, 2015

Easter Devotional – February 26

Matthew 4:1-11

The Temptation of Jesus

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil *took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written,

‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and

‘On their hands they will bear You up,
So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil *took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus *said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” 11 Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Does it ever seem that temptations are actually good things gone bad; that they blind-side us and throw us for a loop? This is what’s happening to Jesus with a loaf of bread. Bread…a seemingly basic and insignificant item is what Satan uses to tempt Jesus. A blind-side…until we remember that Jesus hasn’t eaten anything in 40 days! Satan will hit us where we hurt; his intent is to thwart God’s purposes any way possible. But unlike most of us, Jesus doesn’t try harder to resist Satan. Jesus takes an alternate path. He knows His Word well enough to respond to the temptation 3 different times, even after Satan has twisted it. Jesus uses His temptations as an opportunity to show reliance on God, rather than on physical things.

Jesus had Scripture-fueled courage to resist the temptation and turn things around; what do you need Scripture-fueled courage for today? What temptations are you facing? What’s your plan to overcome those temptations?

Prayer: As I face temptations daily, help me to recognize them and be “Scripture-fueled” like Jesus to resist them.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

February 25, 2015

Easter Devotional – February 25

Matthew 4:18-25

The First Disciples

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Ministry in Galilee

23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues andproclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs,epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

Imagine. You get a chance to go to the Super Bowl. The national anthem has been beautifully sung, the coin toss is about to take place. But the coach comes out and points to a couple of people in the stands and says, “Hey, come on down here; you’re not spectators anymore, you’re playing in the big game.” First reaction: Are you kidding me? I’m totally unprepared. I’m not ready.

While this would never happen in professional sports, this is how Jesus calls us. We were never meant to be spectators while God works His wonders all around us. We are called to participate. Even though we are unqualified and unprepared, He is all-powerful and completely worthy. God likes to use the unqualified and the unprepared, we just have to be willing to go out on the field.

Are you willing to go out on the field? Willing to allow Him to do His work through you?

Prayer: God, help me to be a player. To be willing to listen to Your call and move from the spectator seats to my place on the field.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

 

February 24, 2015

Easter Devotional – February 24

Matthew 3:1-12

The Preaching of John the Baptist

3 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”

4 Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

As we continue on our journey, more than 25 years later, we meet up with John the Baptist…also prophesied about in the Old Testament, who happens to be Jesus’ cousin. The cousin of the Messiah! Can you even imagine!?! And John, while being the greatest man who ever lived, talks about “the” Messiah as, “Someone much more powerful, more worthy…and He will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” John the Baptist came saying “REPENT!…the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”…prepare the way – remove the obstacles, get ready to meet the Messiah.

And this is what some people are doing, they are coming to John to repent and be baptized.

Others, however, (the Pharisees and Sadducees) are not. And to them he gives a warning – you can’t rely on your family for your faith – you may be Abraham’s children, but you need to personally repent, for YOU are personally responsible to bear good fruit!

What?!?

They thought they were shoe-ins because of Dad, but it is only by faith in Jesus, the Messiah.

How are you preparing your heart, your life, for the coming Messiah? Have you relied on your parents’ faith or have you personally repented and given your heart over to Jesus? Take some time to take stock of your heart, your faith.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for being powerful and completely worthy. Show me what it means to completely rely on You.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

February 23, 2015

Easter Devotional – February 23

As Easter quickly approaches, and it will be quick, let’s take some time to walk through Jesus’ life. Although this journey through Matthew begins with Jesus’ birth, the story begins way before that. If you’ve heard any of our Genesis series, you know that the hope for Jesus was proclaimed in Genesis 3:15…the head-crushing seed of the woman.

Jump ahead to Mary and Joseph and the story of the fulfillment of the first advent.

 

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Conception and Birth of Jesus

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” 24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

Here we see Joseph’s perspective of Jesus’ birth. First, Mary tells him a story fit for a soap opera, then he has a dream that verifies it! This Child is the Messiah that’s been so long expected…prophesied about throughout history. Mary and Joseph had no idea how this was all going to work out. They were just an engaged couple, chosen by God to bring the Messiah into the world.

They had to trust God with their entire lives. They had to allow God to take over, to change the course of their lives as they had planned it.

Are you open to that…in the midst of your plans? Are you open to hearing from God? Are you willing to allow Him to speak into your life…and transform it?

Prayer: God, as I read Your Word over the next 40 days, help me to hear Your voice and be willing to allow You to transform my life. Help me to discover more about who You are in order for me to live and love like You.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

 

April 21, 2014

God’s Story

Genesis 15 – Resurrection Sunday

Easter. What’s in it for you? What is your hope today? A good job. A loving marriage. Well-behaved kids. Cool parents. Bright future. New romance. All good things. Maybe you have begin to think about your own mortality and your hope is in a legacy, leaving a mark on planet earth so that 100 years from now, folks know that you were here? But it’s clear…if your hope is based on earthy things, they are all destined to fail. Everything ends up in either the graveyard or the junkyard. The things of this world will pass away.

Abram’s hope is clear…the promises that God had made to him. Land. Seed, aka Jesus. Blessing. Blesser of the nations. Abram believes God, and He reckons it to him as righteousness. Abram’s faith made him righteous before God…not his obedience or lack thereof. His faith. Period. Hebrews tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. What was Abram believing…Genesis 3.15. That God would provide the Head-crushing Seed of the Woman, aka Jesus, to rescue and provide the way back to paradise, to restore the relationship with Creator God and life in His kingdom, that through Him all the families of the earth would be blessed. And ultimately Abram’s hope is resurrection. The promises that God had made…descendants, land, blessing to the nations were not realized in Abram’s life. He would only fully realize them in resurrection. Hebrews tells us he was looking for a better country, a heavenly city. Abram looked forward to Jesus.

The Son of Promise has come. The Genesis 3:15 Head-crushing Seed of the Woman, our Rescuer, Jesus rent the veil between heaven and earth, between time and eternity and stepped onto the world stage. Jesus, who came to do what we could not do….provide the way back to God. To conquer sin and death. To restore the image so that we might return to Paradise, to provide the promise of life. That by faith in Jesus, who lived the life that we were supposed to live, totally obedient and dependent on God, who died the death we deserved…the death that has been ours by birthright since the garden. The death that was surely required for our rebellion, that through faith in Him we could participate in the most absurd gift exchange in the universe…His righteousness for our sin…so that we can have life…a different kind of life, real life, eternal life with Father God in His kingdom. I don’t understand it, but am amazed by it. That is our promise, that just as Jesus conquered sin through His death and death through His resurrection, so sin and death for us are over and done with if we believe. Abram was promised a kingdom and a legacy for His faith. So are we. When God Himself, in smoke and fire walked between those bloody animals, He made that walk for you as much as He made it for Abram. He is preparing that kingdom even now, and has set another a day in the eternal calendar to return once more to this earth and set up a kingdom that will have no end. We have been called to set out on a journey, to a place He will show us, in an act of faith. Faith because we have no power at all to make that promise happen. We have no way in and of ourselves to go to that kingdom or to reign there. But that promise has been made to us.

Do you know the amazing love of God today? Do you want to?

Until next time…stay salty.

This post is based on our Genesis series. Listen online at:http://www.centralchristian.org, or follow us on twitter: @ccclancaster

April 19, 2014

April 19 – Weekend Passage

EASTER WEEKEND

This is it! You have…today…to invite your “8-15” to one of our weekend services. All 5 services will be the same…except the Sunrise Service (at 6:15 am) will be outside (same message). This is one of two times each year when people are most willing to come to church.

What a privilege it is to worship together as we celebrate God’s great love for us!

Please spend today praying for your “8-15” and for the services…that God would use Pastor Matt and the rest of the team to clearly share the Gospel message. Pray that we, as a body of believers, would be effective image bearers of our Creator.

__________________________________

Genesis 15

Abram Promised a Son

15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying,

“Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”

2 Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” 4 Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. 7 And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” 8 He said, “O Lord God, how may I know that I will possess it?” 9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16 Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.”

17 It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying,

“To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:

19 the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite 20 and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim 21 and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the Jebusite.”

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB © The Lockman Foundation (www.lockman.org)

April 16, 2014

Thoughts About What We’re Reading…

Time to Remember 

As I work my way through the first 13 chapters in Deuteronomy – I am reminded that there is a consistent pattern throughout the Book: hope for the future is rooted in the past.

In Hebrew idiom, to remember carries the sense of deep reflection and meditation on the past, particularly with regard to God’s mighty acts of love, grace and promise.

When I wrote last time, I described Deuteronomy as a series of speeches or sermons by Moses, his last attempt to instill an obedient spirit in his audience.

He used the threat of judgment, the promise of reward, and appeals to God’s graciousness to seek to accomplish that goal.

Moses used some great imagery as well, see Deuteronomy 1:30-31 for an example. The imagery of God going before them, fighting for them and carrying Israel as a man carries his son, brings to mind Israel’s special relationship to the Lord through His covenant with Abraham and serves as a reminder of how deep the Father’s love runs for His children.

As we approach Easter this weekend, I am reminded again of how deep the Father’s love runs for us, the sending of His son Jesus to live with us.  Jesus became sin that we might have life. I am reminded of His life, death and resurrection.

Jesus also gave us instructions, and something special to do in remembrance of Him.

Following each service this weekend, we will set up Communion stations for those that want to partake either as individuals or families. I encourage you to partake if you are follower of Christ.

I remember Jesus and the price he paid, do you?  Join me this weekend, rally your families, friends, your 8-15 and encourage them to attend a service celebrating the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.  The staff, worship team and Matt are ready to go.  Come join us!

Following the service, come to the communion stations, reflect, and mediate on His promises and hope for the future.

I close with the Apostle Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is foryou. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Amen!

Until next time, keep reading…

Jim
Excerpts and references: BKC, HCSB Study Bible, Gospel Transformation Bible
March 12, 2014

Thoughts About What We’re Reading…

The Ultimate Day of Atonement

As we read Leviticus we have to be ever mindful of the fact that salvation is not earned through the obedience of the law.  Obedience is the proper response to the salvation God has provided.

It is helpful to read through passages in Hebrews to fully understand Leviticus and why Jesus is the greater priest and the greater, perfect atoning sacrifice.

Let’s take the Day of Atonement described in Leviticus 16.  Known today as Yom Kippur, the Jewish People still consider this to be the holiest day of the year, a day of atonement and repentance.

But here in our story, despite all the law and regulations described in Leviticus, sins and impurities remained and defiled the camp and the Lord’s holy dwelling among His people.

God therefore provides the ceremony of the Day of Atonement, to cleanse the tabernacle and the camp of these sins and impurities.

The heart of the ceremony consisted of three rites: purification offerings to cleanse the tabernacle (16:11–19), the scapegoat to bear the Israelites’ sins out of the camp (vv. 20–22), and burnt offerings to emphasize the atonement made that day (vv. 23–24).

For these rites to be effective, it was important that the Israelites had repentant hearts (vv. 29, 31).

As we move through the Lent season in preparation of Easter weekend, we are reminded of Jesus’ crucifixion, the ultimate Day of Atonement.

In reflection and fulfillment of the purification offerings, He cleansed our sin by means of His own blood (Hebrews 9:12, 14, 24).

In reflection and completion of the sign of the scapegoat, He bore our sins away (Hebrews 9:28).

In reflection and fulfillment of the burnt offerings, He made atonement for us.

We look to him with hearts that not only mourn and repent of our sin but that also rejoice that His sacrifice cleanses us so completely that we can draw near to God with the full assurance that He accepts us completely (Hebrews 10:19–22).

Amen!

Until next time…keep reading…
Jim

Excerpts taken from the Gospel Transformation Study Bible.