Jump for Joy!

Many churches excel in missions to those outside their church.  This is important.

However, some of those same churches have no outreach ministries to those who are members of the church, but cannot attend for various reasons.

They are simply forgotten.

After some health problems years ago, Jay and I found ourselves among the forgotten at a church where we had been active members.

Even our weak cries went unanswered.  Besides feeling abandoned, we then realized how many opportunities we had passed up to go to other people when we were able but they were not.   We had to repent.

In time, God brought us into another church.    We were attracted to look closer at this church, as its theme was “Love is all.”  We liked that immediately because our spiritual quest of many years had led us to that one conclusion.  God is Love.  And so should we be.

However, we wondered how this church would put that Love into action.  We also wondered if we would have the opportunity to love them back.

They knew up front we would not be able to be active, present members in the traditional way.  But they invited us in anyway.  And beyond that, they were willing to be the church and come to us in our home.

We were received into Good Shepherd Episcopal Church by Bishop Mark in our home.

We watched with delight Father Hendree on video.  And he visited in our home!

The flower ministry sent flowers from the altar to our home.

We became involved in a video ministry with Father John where church members came to our home and told their faith stories for Jay to video.  We had a front row seat!

When I was recovering from surgery last summer, Mother Anisa came to visit.

I also received get well cards from a precious church member.

When the ice storm hit, Grace, the parish secretary called to make sure we were ok.  We also received a text from a church member, who wanted to see if we needed anything.

We receive regular visits from two church members who serve us communion.  We not only commune with God, we also commune with each other.

Mother Emily has sent Bible Study Guides that go with zoomed Bible studies from the church.  

In a most creative move, the church had an Easter Eve into Easter morning prayer watch with activities planned at designated times.  They sent us the service prompts so we could follow along at the same time.

It was an amazing recognition of how The Spirit can join people no matter where they are.

Today Mother Emily came to visit.  Not only did she bless us with her presence, she brought flowers that had been on the altar for Easter.

Our church has as one of its goals, “every member connected.” That is a tall order, given that it is a large and growing church.  But they are doing just what Jesus had in mind.  They are being the church, inside the walls and outside the walls.

They are carrying out Jesus’ Mission in the same way He did.  They are inviting people into a beautiful worship space, but they are also going out to people where they are.  We are all disciples who are making disciples.

We affectionately call our home The Good Shepherd Outpost.  We learned from the beginning this too is God’s House.   We welcome all He invites here.

The card that came with the flowers today says it all.  Hope.  Joy.  Beauty.  Assurance.  Prayers.   Not Forgotten!

I will not forget you.

Isaiah 49:15

Do this to remember Me.

1 Corinthians 11:24

Love one another as I have loved you.

John 15:12

There have been many discussions over time of what Hell is like.

Some believe it does not exist.

Some believe it is a literal lake of fire where unrepentant sinners burn for all times.

Some believe it is a place God would never enter.  Some believe God is very present as The Fire itself.

Many feel they have had a preview of Hell on earth because of experiences they have had.

Opinions vary widely on who will be in Hell and whether it is possible to ever get out.

I choose to reflect more on Heaven than Hell.  However, a new thought has come to mind.

I believe there may be just one or two questions on our earth final exam.

How did you love The Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength?

How did you love others as God loved you?

If there is a time of purification, perhaps it will be to be with people who are exactly like us.  Whatever we did would be done unto us.

After all, there is great evidence in The Bible for the concept of “what goes around comes around.”

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Luke 6:31

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Matthew 5:7

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:14-15

Perhaps we will spend some time with our enemies, not for them to torture us, but to see if we really learned the lesson of how to love them.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:44-45

I have always thought it interesting that the 23rd Psalm includes having our enemies at the table with us.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Psalm 23:5

Perhaps they are not there to watch us eat.  Perhaps they are there for us to serve them and feed them, as Jesus did in love.

When I think of spending time with people just like me, it certainly causes me to stop and think about how much of me is not lined up with Jesus yet.

Don’t answer here, but think for a moment.  Would you like to spend eternity with people just like you?

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

As everyone is singing the hallelujah chorus and celebrating Easter, imagine for a moment, there was the following announcement.

“Jesus has gone to Hell.  He has evacuated everyone.  He has told them to go and sin no more.  Jesus has the keys and He has locked Hell up and closed it permanently.”

How would you feel if there was no hell?  

Many would be horrified.  Many feel there must be a system that includes punishment for wrongdoing.  

Beyond that, many feel that system will assure they have a wonderful time in Heaven if all the bad people are locked up in the fryer of Hell.

It is not my intent to start a centuries old debate of whether there is a hell, what it is like and who will be there.

My intent is to invite you into a true Easter reflection of how you view Grace and Mercy and Forgiveness even when no one has asked for it … or perhaps when you feel they don’t deserve it.

Let’s look at a few scriptures that give us clues about where Jesus was in the time between His Crucifixion and the morning the tomb was found empty.

Where was Jesus during this unspecified time?

Actually it was not unspecified.  Jesus Himself said where He would be.

Jesus said,

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Matthew 12:40

Paul said,

“He also descended to the lower, earthly regions.  He Who descended is The Very One Who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.”

Ephesians 4:9-10

Peter said, 

“He was put to death in the body but made alive in The Spirit. After being made alive, He went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago.”

 1 Peter 3:18-20

Now let’s go back to when Jesus started His public ministry.  He read from the ancient scrolls and said the scripture was fulfilled in their presence.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me, because The Lord has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoner.”

Isaiah 61:1

We often try to make The Bible stories fit into past, present and future.  In so doing, we sometimes forget God cannot be confined into one time or place.

The Words of the prophets of old fit together with Jesus’ Words during His time on earth and as revealed  in John’s Revelation.

If we are to experience the true wonder of Jesus’ work during that time between Friday and Sunday, we must come face to face with what Grace and Mercy look like.

Jesus said, 

“Go and learn what this means.  I desire Mercy, not sacrifice.”

Matthew 9:13

From the cross, He said,

“Father, forgive them.”

Luke 23:34

And it was done … across the face of the earth, and then into its heart.

As the prison doors swung open, all the captives and captors heard Jesus’ Voice, loud and clear.

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! 

And I hold the keys of death and Hell!”

Revelation 1:18

Don’t answer here, but take a moment to go with Jesus to “the heart of the earth.”  

See those you believed should be in hell.  Watch Jesus at work.  See what they look like after His Redeeming Work.

And then, let Him polish you up a bit too.  

And if you feel you are already experiencing hell on earth, the Easter message is for you.  Jesus is here.  He is alive and ready to lead you out!

Good Friday is the day many concentrate on the suffering of Jesus. However, we rarely stop and think for very long about those who caused His suffering.

When we do think about it, we may think, “How could they have done those cruel things to Jesus?“

Jesus answered in His prayer from the cross.  They did not know what they were doing.  

Did they really not know they were torturing and killing Him?  Yes, they knew that on a surface level, but they did not know the deeper implications of what they were doing.

We may think, “How could people in this world today be so cruel to do things they do?”  Same answer.  They do not know what they are doing.

Jesus pointed out people could do very unmerciful things because their “not knowing” went even deeper.

Jesus said,

“In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known The Father or Me.”

John 16:2-3

Is it possible we ourselves do not know the wounds we cause through our words and our actions?

Do we know when we hurt others, we are hurting one who has Jesus inside them?

Jesus said, 

“If you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto Me.”

Matthew 25:40

Would you cause Jesus to suffer?

Most of us would say no!

But then we have to consider a few important things Jesus taught us.

Jesus said, 

“I  am in My Father and you are in Me and I in you.   Whoever has My Commandments and observes them is the one who loves Me.”

John 14:20-21

Jesus said, 

“If you love Me, keep My Commands.”

John 14:15

Jesus said, 

“A new Command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

John 13:34

Jesus said, 

“I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Matthew 5:34

We did not physically nail Jesus to the cross, but what suffering have we brought to this world?  How many times have we hurt people, sometimes not knowing … sadly, sometimes not caring …

and never processing we were doing it unto Jesus Himself.

Acts of violence, even those we call “justifiable,” carried out in the name of discipline, war, etc.

Lying.  Shunning.  Denying.  Betraying.  Gossiping.  Accusing.  Judging.  Condemning.  Not Forgiving.  Even evil thoughts that never made it to actions.

All were done against Jesus Himself.

Why love one another?  We are not just loving the person.  We are loving Jesus Who is inside them, even if they do not know it.

Why love our enemies?  It is Jesus inside them, even if they do not know it.

Why love at all?  Because if we profess to love Jesus, we follow His Commands.

Hear Jesus’ Words again.

“If you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto Me.”

Matthew 25:40

Today, as you reflect on the cross, think of all those you may have hurt in your life or are hurting right now.  

Ask God to forgive you.

Ask God to take away any pain you may have caused, even when you did not know what you were doing.

Commit yourself to changing hurt to love from this moment on.

And perhaps that journey will start by your being at the foot of the cross and asking Jesus’ forgiveness for ever causing Him pain through your actions against others.

You can do that.  The cross is actually God’s Throne of Grace and Mercy.

Paul said, 

Let us therefore come boldly to The Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

You will hear Jesus say, “I forgive you.  You did not know.  Now you do.  Go forth and love.  You will find Me everywhere!”

The story of Peter intrigues me.  Peter was a loose cannon.  He was more a collection of loose sharp rocks than a solid Rock.

Jesus, Who knew all, undoubtedly saw the future, including Peter’s temper tantrums and denial.

And yet Jesus chose him … fetched him out of a fishing boat … and trained him personally for the work to which God was calling him.

As much as Jesus saw Peter’s youthful arrogance, there was a moment when Peter understood he was powerless in The Presence of The One Who was All Power.

Perhaps Peter was caught off guard by Jesus’ question.  They were all just talking about who everybody thought Jesus was.

Jesus had said,

“But what about you?” Who do you say I am?”

Matthew 16:15

In that moment, Peter knew The Answer.  I can imagine the words just gushing forth from his mouth, perhaps even surprising him.

“You are The Messiah, The Son of The Living God!”

Matthew 16:19

And with that, Jesus told Peter who he was … why He had chosen him … who he would become when he was perfected in God’s Time.

Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. 

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.”

Matthew 16:17-18

Peter followed Jesus.  His passion never wavered … but his passion was often not focused in the right direction.

He thought he could walk on water.  He couldn’t alone, but he could with Jesus.

He tried to dispute God’s Plan for Jesus.  He couldn’t.  Jesus identified satan tempting him.

He thought he could stop God’s Plan by force.  He cut off a soldier’s ear in what he thought was a defense of Jesus.  Jesus rebuked him and told him to put his sword away.

And then … Jesus was about to be killed.  And Peter was powerless to stop God’s Plan … nor did he understand it.  

He was confused and afraid.  And he did the unthinkable.  He denied he even knew Jesus.

Jesus had told him he would.  He was sure he wouldn’t.  He knew himself … or did he.

A rooster’s crow threatened to condemn him.  The anguish of sin engulfed him.   An empty tomb stunned him.  Peter did not know what to do.  He felt more empty than the tomb.

And then there was Jesus standing before him, His Arms open wide.  It is not recorded what they said to each other, but I think Jesus would have said to Peter what He said about those crucifying Him.

“Father, forgive him.  He did not know what he was doing.”

Peter finally understood what Grace felt like.  And he knew what he was called to do.  He was to teach his world the Joy of being forgiven.

His God given passion turned into passion for God … and upon that rock, God built His Church.

Think of your life.  Think of those times when Jesus said, “Father forgive him/her.  He/she did not know what he/she was doing.”

What has God called you to do?  Are you doing it?

When you know Who He is, you will know who you are and why you are here!

One way to truly experience the depth of The Bible is to step in and imagine yourself as the people in the stories.

As Easter approaches, I invite you to stop and fully meditate on how it would have been to live as each of the key players.

For the next few moments, see yourself as one of Jesus’ Disciples.

How do you respond to all you witnessed first hand?  The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear, those who could not speak speak, the mentally ill become totally sane … and more.

Fish practically jump into fishing boats.  Water is turned into wine.  Thousands of people are fed from almost nothing.  Stormy seas are completely calmed.  One of your friends walks on water.

And besides all that, dead people come back to life!  You witness it all.

So how do you feel when Jesus, your friend Who is responsible for it all, now tells you He is going to be killed soon?  

And beyond that, He says it will happen in part because one of your close knit group will betray Him.

Would you consider whether it could somehow be you?  Would you dare to ask Jesus if it was you?

Or would you be absolutely sure it would never be you?  

Would you start looking at your friends and judging who you thought was most likely the villain?

How would you react when you thought you knew who it would be?

What if Jesus confirmed who it would be?  Would your first thought be that you were glad it wasn’t you?  

Would you feel righteous anger when you did know?  Would you jump up and do something to or for the one who was about to fall?  

Would you shake your head and look the other way?  

Would you whisper to your other friends about him?  Would you say, “He is really messed up.  We need to pray for him.”  

Or would you look to Jesus for what He wanted you to do?

Points To Ponder

What miracles have you seen in your life?  Did you see Jesus when they happened?  How did it change your life?

What do you do when you know someone is on the verge of falling to temptation?

What do you do when you know someone has fallen?

Are you humble enough to ask Jesus if you have betrayed Him in any way?  

Could there be anything in you that is about to open a door for satan?

What if Jesus’ Answer is, 

“Yes, it is you.”  

What will you do then?

If you love Me, keep My Commands.

John 4:15

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

As Easter approaches, we often focus on what Jesus said from the cross.  Those Words are very significant and give us a continuing, beautiful picture of Love.

However, it is equally important to notice what Jesus did not say.

Jesus did NOT say:

My goose is cooked now.  I’m a dead man walking!

This whole thing is a set up.  It’s not fair!  I know My Rights.

Do you know Who I AM?  I outrank every one of you!

We need to have a better system to keep all these murderers out.  I’ll make sure you and your family are all tortured before you are killed.

Everyone needs to get a sword and use it.  You can start by cutting off the ears of anyone who confronts you.

I’ll call Daddy and He’ll send down fire from Heaven.  I’m gonna fry you all!

Where is my so called friend, Peter?  He denied Me.  This is the last time I even say his name.  He’s dead to Me now.

John, why are you just standing there?  You implied you were the one I loved.  You’re going to stand here and watch and do nothing?

(To the thief insulting Him)  How can you say those nasty things?  You’re a crook!

(To the thief who asked to join Him in His Kingdom)  You want to go with Me now?  Where were you when I could have done something for you?  If you had asked me earlier, maybe you wouldn’t be here.  Now you want to cash in on what I’ve got?

Mama, come save me!  I wanna go home with you now.

The worst thing that can happen is for Me to die.  I’m going to hang on to this body at all cost.  I surrender to no one!

I hurt!  Can’t you all see how much I’m suffering!

What Jesus DID say:

I tell you, do not resist an evil person.  If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

Matthew 5:39

Father, forgive them,

for they do not know what they are doing.

Luke 23:34

Jesus did not say anything to the thief who was insulting Him.

(To the thief, who sought to go with Jesus), He said,

“Truly, I tell you,

today you will be with Me in paradise.”

Luke 23:43

Father, into Your Hands I commit My Spirit.

Luke 23:46

For the joy set before Him,

He endured the cross,

scorning its shame, and sat down

at the right hand of the throne of God!

Hebrews 12:2

I AM The Living One; 

I was dead and now look, 

I AM alive forever and ever!  

And I hold the keys to death and Hades.

Revelation 1:18

Be sure of this.  I AM with you always!

Matthew 28:20

Which scenario sounds the most like what you would have said? 

Curious minds want to know.  Where was Jesus between the time of His Crucifixion and Easter morning?

One thing seems pretty certain.  He was not taking nap in the tomb. 

Sunday morning was not when He was resurrected.  Sunday morning was just when it was confirmed that He was not in the tomb.

The angel reported,

He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.

Matthew 28:6

So when did He rise?  

He rose at the moment He said,

“Into Your Hands, I commit My Spirit.”

Luke 23:46

Where did He go?

He told His Next Door Neighbor on the cross,

“Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:43

Where is Paradise?  We get several indications.

God created Paradise in a part of the earth called The Garden of Eden.  It was a perfect world created out of the heart of God revealed on earth.

It was not referred to as Paradise then, but The Tree of Life was located there.  John saw The Tree of Life again in his Revelation of the new earth.  The Tree was identified as being “in The Paradise of God.”

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from The Tree of Life, which is in The Paradise of God.

Revelation 2:7

Going back to where Jesus said He would be, He said,

“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Matthew 12:40

I believe “the heart of the earth” is Paradise.  Remember, Eden was not destroyed.  It was only closed to sinful people.

We will never know what process God used to eliminate or transform the old beat up, mangled body of Jesus.  We really do not need to know.

What we do know is Jesus took a former sinner Home with Him on the day they vacated their earthly bodies.  And Home was described as Paradise.

I like to imagine Jesus and the unnamed saved man picnicking under The Tree of Life before they got ready to appear again on earth.

Note — it was said in the time after Jesus’ Resurrection, 

The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Matthew 27:53

Wouldn’t everyone have been surprised to find one they thought was a crucified thief among them?  

And what a testimony he must have had!

And that is the true Message of Easter.  Grace greater than all our sins!

For the wages of sin is death, but The Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Romans 6:23

Simon of Cyrene was forced by the Roman soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross.

Why is this detail included in a story that had far more drama than one poor man struggling with a very unfair assignment?

Who does Simon represent?  

He is each one of us.  We are the one carrying the cross.  

We can imagine the thrill of riding into Jerusalem to the sounds of the cheering crowds and the feelings of the palms waving around us.

We can imagine the intimate supper with friends. We might be a bit puzzled at some of the things Jesus said, but then again, there had been other times when we didn’t quite understand what He meant.

But would we follow Jesus through all that happened after that memorable supper? 

Are we willing to be ridiculed and tortured? Are we willing to take up our cross and follow Him? Would He really expect that? 

Yes.

Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be My Disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24

You might be thinking, “Wait! I didn’t sign on for this! I mean I just wanted a cross pin or a necklace … or maybe a cross to hang on the wall to remember You. But not this!”

But you suddenly realize you are on the road to certain death … an ugly, agonizing death. The weight of your cross is unbearably heavy.

What was designed to be a Tree of Life for you is now covered with your sins … both the ones others have seen and the private ones you worked so hard to cover … now exposed, along with your suffering. How did you get here?

It’s pay day! 

And you earned every bit of what you now carry. 

But God didn’t do it to you. Satan did. He tempted you, watched with glee as you fell, accused you and then convinced you God would punish you forever for your sins.

“For the wages of sin is death …”
Romans 6:23

Shouldn’t someone have told you this is how it would all end? 

But wait! Someone is stepping out of the crowd. He is coming toward you.  It is Jesus!

You look up at Him through your pain. You hear Him say, “You’ve carried this long enough and far enough. I’ll carry it the rest of the way, if you’re ready to turn loose of it.”

You use your last bit of strength to release the cross to Him. And when you do, the weight is removed!

You discover in wonder The Truth of Peter’s Words.

“He Himself bore our sins in His Body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His Wounds you have been healed.”
1 Peter 2:24

As Jesus shoulders not only your sins, but also the sins of the whole world, you discover with Joy the rest of the story.

“The wages of sin is death, but The Gift of God is Eternal Life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in The Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Gelatians 2:20

You walk on, following Him.  You now know where you are both headed.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, 

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

looking to Jesus, The Founder and Perfecter of our faith, 

Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of The Throne of God!

Hebrews 12:1-3

Some people love being a part of a crowd.  They get energy from those around them.  And that energy fuels emotion which fuels action.

You can enjoy music together and be a part of a sing along.  You can cheer for your favorite sports team.  You can join together in praise and worship of God.

People being together in a common place doing common things can bring unity.  Unity is the very thing Jesus prayed for us.

It always touched my heart to know Jesus not only prayed for His Disciples, He prayed to God for those who would come after them.

I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.

John 17:20-21

It would seem the crowd listening to Jesus’ Sermon on The Mount was a good start toward that unity.

It seems like the crowd that welcomed Jesus on what we call Palm Sunday had potential.

Satan hates any unity with God.  Everything satan does is with the goal of separating us from God.  But unity?  Yes, he smiles and says, “I can work with that.”

Possibly some of the same people who welcomed Jesus on Sunday called for His crucifixion on Friday.

Crowds can become mobs.  Heavenly things can go to Hell quickly.  

Why?

Because once you as an individual stop listening to God and start listening to the buzz around you, your thoughts can shift.

What would seem very wrong if it was just you and God seems perfectly acceptable when you are in a crowd of people.  In fact, with just the right amount of crowd Adrenalin, doing something violent may seem not only possible, but necessary.

And then there is also the feeling that whatever direction the crowd is going, you cannot stop them.  To cast a dissenting vote in the midst of a crowd can seem like suicide.  Some decide it is better to keep quiet and go with the flow.

So what would you have done if you had been a part of the crowd on Palm Sunday?

And if you were also in the crowd who called for Jesus’ crucifixion, what would you have done?

Would you have spoken up for Jesus?

Or would you have joined the group call for His death?

Would you have denied you even knew Him?

Would you have quietly slipped away and tried to wash your hands of the whole mess?

And if you had been in the crowd witnessing  the crucifixion, what would you have done?

Every crowd is simply a collection of individual people, who whether they know it or not, make a decision to follow God or follow satan.

Remember Jesus’ prayer that we would be one with Him and His Father.

May our voices continue to be praises to our  King of Kings and Lord of Lords!