Again...

Preaching on Jesus' crucifixion again this Sunday.

Gotta' be almost the 12th time I've preached this same text.

Here's one of the parts that stuck out to me today as I studied in preparation....

"and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in His right hand. And kneeling before Him, they mocked Him, saying 'Hail, King of the Jews!'"

-Mt 27:29 (ESV)

And it struck me that every action each of us ever takes that says (in effect) "You're not really the King..." is this SAME act of mockery.

Got me thinking how often my life is evidence that--were it not for the grace of God--I ought to be counted among the scoffers.

Sobering.

The other thing that was interesting to me was that I found myself getting deeply emotional and even sickened as I worked my way through the text. See, the story of Jesus Christ crucified is either nothing or it's everything.

Everything.

Everything.

Having my own personal revival today (and the day started out in deep discouragement) and determining to walk worthy of that which has been done for me.

Why was I discouraged?

Online stuff (sometimes FB and Twitter are more pain than they're worth) that made me lust after other people's lives and ministries. You know that kind? When you see what someone else is doing and think, "I should be doing that..." and are left feeling like your life sucks, is meaningless, and going nowhere.

I needed to repent of that. That feeling is mostly pride. What's required is simple obedience. So long as you're doing what God has called you to do, you just need to keep doing that and let the Lord God worry about the increase, about the details, about the stress, about the apparent lack of results or the way in which the results are driving you crazy.

I had this moment on my run the other night where I felt like God 'spoke' to me saying...

"Remember these quiet apparently 'barren' times son, because the time is coming when the stresses of the increase I'm about the bring will have you wishing for the relative quiet of this season..."

Enough to make you weep.

On a run.

While you're running.

To Jesus.

If you're around the Burlington area, come see us this weekend. It's Easter-season and I'm preaching Jesus crucified as recorded in the Bible.

Gonna' be heavy, and intense, and life-changing and a glorious mess.

We're also going to be doing our best to blow you out of the water with worship...

That is if the drummer (yours truly this week) doesn't screw it up for everyone!!

:)

Loving Him in the midst of a tough journey, right along with you.

T