I’ve been writing one post a day during Holy Week. In this classic message, no one can say what needs to be said about Good Friday better than Dr. S. M. Lockridge. Take a moment to watch and share it on your various social media platforms.
When I was a child, I loved to go to my Dad’s farm to fish. We had a pet Boxer that, it just so happened, liked to jump in the water right where I was fishing! Often, I had to wait for her to exit so everything could settle and I could see where the fish were.
Life is like that. When things are stirred up, it’s tough to get a clear picture of what’s underneath. We have to let things settle before we can see again.
That’s one of the lessons from Holy Thursday, better known as Maundy (comes from a Latin word meaning command) Thursday. It was on this day that Jesus ate the last meal with the disciples, washed their feet, and gave them his final instructions.
Before he could do that, though, he had to get them settled back down so they could prepare for what was next. Why were they stirred up? He told them he was leaving, and they didn’t get it. His words rocked their world.
Their thoughts raced. They had so many questions.
Why is he leaving?
Didn’t we leave everything to follow him?
Didn’t we think he was “the one?”
It was at that moment Jesus spoke these words:
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14:1-3 (NLT)
“Don’t let your hearts be troubled…” The word troubled in the original Greek can be translated as “stirred up.” Easier said than done, right? It’s upsetting when the bottom falls out of life right in front of you, and you are no longer tethered to the one you trusted the most!
Jesus’ next words are even more critical.
“Trust in God, and trust in me.”
There it is. The key to seeing clearly when things are stirred up is to trust in God. Why? Because He has a long-term plan. Jesus promises the disciples, “…you will always be with me where I am.”
Life is tough, especially over these past few years. So many of us feel more anxious, worried, and stressed out than ever before. The stress, though, keeps us from seeing clearly and thus, skews our perspective.
The message to us on this Maundy Thursday is a simple one. God sees what we can’t and knows what’s next. We just have to trust Him so that we can see clearly again.
Have you ever heard of the Judas goat? Essentially, it is a trained goat used in animal herding that leads sheep to the slaughter while its own life is spared.
You might have guessed where its name originated, from none other than Judas Iscariot.
On Wednesday of Holy Week, also referred to as Spy Wednesday (really!), the process of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas began. Judas met with the religious leaders who offered him 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus. That amount was equal to four months’ wages at the time.
You can read about that part of the story here.
It’s what happened afterward that’s instructive. Judas would proceed with “business as usual” until he attended the Passover meal with Jesus and his fellow disciples.
I wonder what Judas thought during that Passover meal, when Jesus washed HIS feet, predicted the betrayal, ate the bread, then looked at him and said, “Hurry and do what you are going to do.” Jesus had accepted what was next.
To put this in perspective, would you cut the toenails of someone that you knew would turn their back on you? Would you clean their toilet? Would you take out their trash? Jesus did that knowingly when he washed the feet of Judas.
The lesson for this Wednesday is a simple one. People will turn their back on you and let you down at times. It may even be someone close to you. Accept that it was their destiny, but their actions don’t have to lead you astray.
There will always be a Judas Goat, but don’t follow them; follow Jesus. He’s the only one who will NEVER turn his back on you or let you down.
“Okay, Pastor, why do all of these churches construct such large, ornate buildings instead of using that money to feed the poor?” The question came from an angry atheist on a radio show. I was asked by the host to come on and “debate him.”
I get a lot of questions from people, which I love! People who genuinely ask questions are in learning and seeking mode. But some ask questions as a trap to make a point. And it’s important to note that those questions don’t just come from the unchurched or the unbelieving.
Many religious people do the same thing to prove their point, demonstrate their knowledge, or even to embarrass someone else, trying to prove their intellectual superiority.
That’s what happened to Jesus on Tuesday of that first Passion Week. Religious leaders came to Him asking four different questions, all of which Jesus answered in short order.
First, “who gives you the authority to do what you do?” This was a question of credibility. They didn’t ordain Jesus, thus recognizing him as an official teacher, so who did? Take a look at how Jesus answered it here.
Second, “should we pay taxes to the Romans?” This was a divide and conquer question. However, Jesus would answer it; he would have to take sides, which he didn’t. This is how he responded.
Third, “will people be married in heaven?” Sounds silly, right? Because the sect of the Sadducees didn’t believe in a bodily resurrection, they thought they had backed Jesus into a corner, of course, they didn’t. Interesting that they didn’t believe in bodily resurrection, considering what would happen in the next five days! Here’s what Jesus said in response.
Finally, “which is the most important commandment?” This would be the end of Jesus because now he would have to pick which of the 613 commandments was most important. This, of course, would put him in violation of mosaic law, or so they thought. One expert emerges to ask Jesus this question, but Jesus stumps him here.
What’s the lesson for us this Tuesday? Our faith is not a blind leap. Jesus can answer any question you have and stand up to your scrutiny. I’m a follower of Christ because it makes sense. After all, every other religion is about people getting better to get to God.
Jesus invites us to come as we are, and he promises to make us better.
Got questions? Keep asking. You might just find the answer you WEREN’T looking for!
It seems like everywhere we turn, something is being labeled as toxic. There are toxic foods, toxic work environments, and even toxic masculinity!
While there are always extremes, toxicity is a real thing, especially when it comes to religion.
Cleansing a toxic religious environment is what happened on Monday during that first Holy Week. You can read the story here.
Simply put, Jesus turned over the tables of the money changers and chased them out of the temple! It’s one of the few times that Jesus got angry. He was ticked because they were using extortion, manipulation, and coercion in the name of religion.
There will always be those in our midst that use religion for their own gain. And while we should challenge such behavior, it’s more important to focus on the one who meets us where we are, Jesus.
He’s not about manipulation, but rather, transformation.
During this Holy Week, may we be reminded of that truth that transforms: God meets us where we are and helps us become who we need to be.
“50 is the new 30” people told me. “You are only as old as you feel,” they said. Meanwhile I really hated becoming what I called, “a half of a century” (sounds really bad right?). For weeks, even months, approaching my 50th birthday, I struggled. No matter what I did, I couldn’t break out of the “Turning 50 funk.”
The downward spiral continued due to, of all things, a Bible verse! Specifically, Psalm 90:12 that says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Unfortunately, I took the verse literally. I surmised that if the average male lived to the age of 75 in my county, that means that I had (give or take, preferably the latter) 9,125 days left on the planet. Put like that it sucks.
With that I began to review my life. First I thought a lot about what I’ve done versus what I should’ve done. I also wrestled with where I’ve been versus where I should be. And I realized that what I thought I knew, I didn’t and how I thought it all should turn out hasn’t.
The responsibility solely lay on my shoulders for not making the most of it. I beat myself up pretty good. After all, you would think that I would have known better. I have officiated at well over 1800 funerals and have thus been given a lot of opportunities to observe the brevity of life.
Then two things happened that shook me out of it. A turning point of sorts. Interestingly enough it was two deaths. One was a man who served as a Deacon in our church for more years than I can count. The other was the drummer in our band who I had known for over 15 years. The former was in his seventies the latter, 57. I think reality hit – I’m not even guaranteed those 9,125 days.
So I decided that it was time to go to work and change the things I could.
First, I’m working on becoming more accepting and less judgmental. Every person I meet is one for whom Christ died. Just because they look or sound different than me doesn’t make me better than them. We’re all in the same boat, sinners sorely need of a Savior.
Second, I’m trying to forgive more easily. One person said that holding on to bitterness is “like taking a drink of poison and expecting the other person to die.” Not forgiving people who have wronged me only hurts me. And not forgiving me when I fall short does the same thing. Freedom is only found in forgiveness.
Third, I understand that relationships are more important than rules. I’m not saying we shouldn’t follow the rules but rules should never be more important than people. The church is supposed to operate on relationship not rules. My life should be lived by that same principle. Isn’t that what Jesus taught with the great commandments?
Finally, I’m discovering that everything counts whether I count it or not. It’s what I do with it that really matters. So it’s imperative to do what’s important and to embrace each moment as a gift. Even the bad experiences of my life and my own poor decisions have made me who I am. While I would not want to repeat them, I wouldn’t change what I’ve learned for anything.
I realize now, a few months into 50, that everything that I’ve done and everything that’s happened to me is part of the ongoing story that is still being written. The great part is that the God of the universe is at the keyboard helping me to create the final chapters. Now, I’m actually looking forward to the next 9125 days.