Jesus Wept

Today’s text: Psalm 27-29   John 11:30-57

The poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox received inspiration for the poem Solitude while traveling on a train. It seems that a woman sitting near the front of the car could not contain her sorrow. As she sat there she would occasionally break out with waves of sobs. At the rear of the car and unaware of the woman rode a gentleman that was amusing the riders in the rows nearest him by telling funny stories. Ella observed that one by one the passengers moved away form the crying woman and crowded to the rear of the car to listen to the man’s humor. Ella later penned these words:

Solitude
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow it’s mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.

In today’s text from John 11 we have the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, a place that was familiar to Jesus, a place on which His blessing rested transformed into a place of mourning. When Mary, the one who had washed the feet of her Savoir with her tears and dried them with her hair; the one who had broken the alabaster box to anoint Him with its valuable contents. The one who had lavished her love upon him, now falling to her knees in grief leads us to the 35th verse where we read “Jesus wept.” Two words that speak volumes. He didn’t weep because of grief. He was there purposefully at that specific time to perform a miracle. He wept because of the tender sympathy he had for those who’s hearts were wrenched with sorrow. Hebrews 4:14-15 tells us “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. (15) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Scripture records two other occasions when Jesus wept. Luke 19:41-44 records His sorrow for the city of Jerusalem. Matthew 26:38-39 and Luke 22:44 record the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane where He wept tears for the struggle that lay before Him. The prophet Isaiah refers to Jesus as “a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.”

As Ella observed, most men would rather avoid those who suffer. Those who would walk with you thru the valley are few. But we serve one who is familiar with the valley. One who strengthens us thru our weakness, who comforts us thru our loss, who guides us thru the wilderness, one who, “upholds us with His righteous right hand.” We are comforted by the one who has promised to be with us always even until the end of this age.

No Needles Please

Today’s readings: Psalm 27-29 and John 11:1-29.

4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.

Today I had to see my son get his physical completed for kindergarten. Being the extrovert he had the whole medical staff under his control by batting his eyelids. However his whole world came crashing down when he heard that he was going to have to have blood drawn and three shots administered to his legs. Now one must understand that my son was born with a condition that makes the probability of him getting an aggressive tumor very possible. Therefore, we have always had to get blood work performed for his health every three months. This little guy is no stranger to needles and every experience with the needles heightens their hateful relationship.
The nurses entered the examination room and my boy stood still on my lap (I think he was hoping that the nursing staff’s senses relied on motion detection and he might go unnoticed). After holding him down and wrenching his arm from his guarded covering, the medical staff were able to collect the blood. We also were able to hear the loudest blood curdling scream this side of the Rio Grande. The hysterics continued as we placed my poor child on a bed and quickly stuck him in both legs with three boosters.
Immediately following the trauma, I picked up my child ads he melted into my arms.
As I look upon Psalm 27 I think about how great and safe it is to be in the house of the Lord. There are those times that I am beyond scared and hysterical and I am so glad that I can melt in the arms of God.

I’M GOING TO LIVE FOREVER!

READING FOR TODAY:  Psalm 27-29  John 11: 1-29

My thoughts today surround the story of the illness, death, and resurrection of Lazarus as recorded in John 11.

“Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”  Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”

The subject of dying is a forbidden topic for many people.  Perhaps you have experienced a death in your family with the past year and you understand the pain that Martha was experiencing.  Unless the death was unexpected, there would have been an opportunity to talk to the person who was dying and give last expressions of what that person has meant to you.  Or perhaps you had time to make amends.  Often when this important step in not taken,  regrets follow.

In most of the world, death is an accepted part of life.  And aging is honored.

Not so much here in America where youth, vigor, and good looks are continually sought after.  Often we try to avoid any attempt to think about dying and aging.  Shelves are filled with anti-aging creams, spot banishing creams, wrinkle removers, etc.  There is a common sentiment in our society where many of us strive to look and feel decades younger—to prove to ourselves and the world that we are healthier and more vital than our parents were at our age.  We’ve all heard it:  60 is the new 50 and so on.

Jesus risked his life to go to the house of Mary and Martha when he heard that his friend Lazarus was ill.  “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you’re going back there?”  But Jesus had a lesson to teach to his friends, and especially to his disciples.

Hearing that his friend was critically ill, Jesus intentionally took his time in getting to Bethany.  Martha’s trauma was much like yours or mine would be when our time expectations are not met.  “If you had been here, my brother would not have died,” she scolded. It was a tearful crowd that Jesus addressed at the tomb of Lazarus.  The crowd knew that four days in the grave would mean that the corpse had already deteriorated.

At the words of Jesus, “Lazarus come forth!”, the stone was rolled away and Lazarus walked out!  The raising of Lazarus was a precursor to another resurrection that would take place just nine chapters later.  Jesus himself would rise from the dead, showing that death will not hold us captive.

As Christians we need not fear the specter of death.  Obviously, we wish to avoid it as long as possible.  For all of us, immortality will take up where mortality ends.  We who believe will enter indescribable joy for eternity.

When comparing eternal life with mortal life, Paul put it this way.  “For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain.”  (Phil 1:21)

As I look at myself in the mirror these days, I definitely see some changes.  If a cosmetic surgeon would stand beside me, I am sure that he might recommend some wrinkle filler, and perhaps even some botox.  He might have a conversation with me about the “new seventy.”  When all of those procedures were finished, he might even say, “There, that’s the new seventy.”  You don’t look a day over fifty!”

I think I will continue moving forward with the face that life has given me.

Any unkindness that aging might give me doesn’t hold a candle to the eternity that awaits me.  And I will live again—forever!

Of Sheep and Shepherds

Today’s readings: Psalm 20-22; John 10:1-21

“Let me set this before you as plainly as I can,” Jesus told them… “If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.”

As with many of Jesus’ parables, His followers were a bit baffled.  Sheep?!  What?

I remember a Christian comedy routine I heard as a college student that reflected, “God calls us sheep.  Know why?  ‘Cause sheep are dumb!”

As much as that makes me laugh to recall, I decided to do a bit of research on sheep, and what I found out indicates that sheep are not, in fact, dumb — at least in relation to other farm animals.  Pigs are a bit smarter, but sheep are no worse off than cattle in the brains department.

… Well, that makes me feel a whole lot better!  Hah!

In addition to not being the village idiots of farm animals, I discovered four other characteristics of sheep:

1) Sheep are gregarious.  They are social animals, but primarily sheep will band together and stay together while grazing for protection.  Hebrews 10:25 urges us to “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  We need to meet together not only to be social, but for our own protection.  A lone sheep at the outskirts of the field is an easy target for the next predator who comes along.

2) Sheep will follow each other.  If you can get one sheep to move, the whole flock will follow.  This can be a good thing or a bad thing in ourselves, obviously.  In its best form, our sheep-like tendency to follow one another is spelled out in 1 Corinthians 11:1:  Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

3) Sheep will move toward another sheep or friend.  Shepherds are able to control the movement of their sheep by getting the sheep to see them as a friend — normally, this is done by feeding them, and doing so consistently so the sheep do not begin to see themselves as being tricked and refuse to follow.  As shepherds of their own flocks, this obviously has an application for pastors.  As Jesus told Peter in John 21, “Feed My sheep!”  Feed them, and do so consistently.

4) Sheep maintain a flight distance between themselves and others.  Sheep have their own “personal space”, so to speak.  When relaxed, in normal circumstances, they tend to stand pretty close together.  If a stranger or a dog appears, or something else that causes the perception of danger, the sheep will increase that personal space — they’ll back away, and if the danger moves toward them, they will run away.  2 Timothy 2:22 exhorts us to “flee the evil desires of youth” and to pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace.

Perhaps sheep are a little smarter than we are at times, when you look at it closely.

Confessions of an Educated Fool!

Friday

Psalm 15-16

John 9:1-23

     John chapter 9 is an interesting contrast between the “know it all” pharisees and an ignorant blind man.  The Pharisees had all the degrees behind their names and they had read all the latest books, but they were powerless  when it came to figuring out how a blind man had received his sight.  In contrast, the blind man has no theological credentials and he got kicked out of the church because he wouldn’t condemn Jesus for healing him.

     This passage speaks to me because I am preparing to go to an new church in a new city where I am supposed to come in as the so called “expert.”  I have had the privelege of ministering for nineteen years in a wonderful church and it has been my privelege to witness the spiritually blind receive their sight.  I have watched people with no background in faith become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  If anybody understands how this works, I should.  I have been blessed with one of the greatest theological educations available.  I received my bachelors degree in Biblical studies from Wheaton College which is sometimes called the “Harvard” of Christian education.  I received my Masters from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary which is one of the largest and finest seminaries in the country.  Many of my professors were considered the leaders in their field.  To top that off I received my doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary which is the birthplace of the church growth movement.  If anybody should know how to grow a church I should.  Honestly, however, I don’t have a clue.

     Its a little intimidating to go to a new church where the expectations are high.  Certainly, they are going to be expecting results.  Sadly, I come with few answers.  I understand a little about “planting” and “watering”, but I am keenly aware that only God can make it grow.  Its no wonder the Apostle Paul who was arguable the most well educated Christian of the first century considered his education as “dung” compared to the greatness of simply knowing Jesus.

      I am a great fan of education only if it leads us to complete dependence on Jesus.  Oh I know certain techniques that might help increase numbers and offerings, but that’s not what a Jesus church is all about.  If the blind aren’t seeing, we are just spinning our wheels.  My desire is to see life transformation happen.  I must confess that I am concerned about the landscape of Christianity these days.  So called experts on tv are filling people’s heads with knowledge that makes little difference.  They can explain to you the finer points of the book or revelation in ways that impress the common person watching from their living rooms.  One of the phrases I have had to get comfortable with is “I don’t know.”  My understanding of how events will unfold in the last days is shady at best.  I don’t know how to grow a church.  I don’t know how God knows everything before it happens and yet we are still free to choose.  Calvinists can explain it all.  Many from the “free will” group also have answers for everything.  I’m not so sure.  I’m just an educated fool.

     There is a contrast in these passages between the pharisees who keep saying “we know” and the blind man who doesn’t know.  The blind man only know one thing.  Once he was blind but now he sees.  Is it possible that God can use our ignorance more than our so called knowledge?  For the last nineteen years at Christ Community Church its been my privelege to lead people to Jesus and I watched the spiritually blind see and the spiritually lame walk.  Pray for me as I go to Knoxville.  I don’t know what I’m doing.  They will discover that soon enough.  They may be looking for answers from me, but all I have to offer is a testimony.  Maybe God is not looking so much for our ability, but our availability.  Maybe the purpose of all of our education is to lead us to end of ourselves and total dependence on him.

Forgotten? Never!

Today’s reading:  Psalm 12-14; John 8:28-59

In today’s reading, Psalm 13 has captured my attention.  Written by David while being hunted by King Saul; though loyal and innocent, he lived as an escaped fugitive for twelve long years.

There was a time in my life when I identified with David closely…I too lived in less than stellar circumstances for twelve long years.  I read David’s Psalms and felt his pain and frustration.  Had God forgotten him?  When in the midst of dark times, it’s not unusual for a Christian to feel that way.

As this Psalm opens, David expresses his frustration at his humiliation meted out by Saul  and the misery of his circumstances.  During my years of despair, I read somewhere that God designs trials for each of us and the circumstances of life are His shaping tools. He designs the depth and length of our trials according to the purpose He has for us to fill.   I even remember a long ago sermon that has stayed buried in my heart and mind for forty years using this Psalm as its focal point.  When I started reading this Psalm, it came to the forefront of my thoughts and I wish to share some of them with you.

In verse one, David asks God a question…”Will you forget me forever?”  What is the depth of this trial, God?  He then asks God…“How long will you hide your face from me?”  What is the length of this trial, God?  David then asks God…”How long will I take counsel in my soul?”  Do I have to use my own plans to survive this trial?  Since we know the end of the story, we know that his trials forged David into a man with great inner strength and sensitivity to his God.  But how did he survive the long years of struggle?

We see in verse three that David is now on his knees…“Consider and hear me O God.”  David knew acutely that his strength to survive depended on his relationship with God and his times of communion with Him.  He goes on to ask God to “enlighten my eyes”.  Restore the sparkle in my eyes, God.  Let me feel the life and vitality to live as I once did.  Trials drain your vitality; mere survival on a day to day basis saps your positive outlook and causes you to focus on your miserable circumstances.  He knows that only God can lighten the load in the midst of the circumstances.

In his time of prayer and communion with God David gets the encouragement to not only survive, but even flourish in the midst of his trial.  In verses five and six we read…“I have trusted in Your mercy…my heart rejoices in Your salvation…I will sing to the Lord for He has dealt bountifully with me!” 

That’s quite a reversal of attitude between the opening stanza and the last of this chapter.  David’s circumstances hadn’t changed – David had changed!  He begins bowed down with his misery and ends on his feet rejoicing before his God!  I’ve always felt that in our weakness and time of trial, God has a platform to do some of His most magnificent work for us humans that trust in Him.  In II Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul tells the Corinthian church that God told him “For My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in your weakness.”  He goes on to say…“For when I am weak, then I am strong!”  There it is again, one of the dichotomies of scripture.  David’s trials and how he faced them had worked in him the mettle that he would need for the plan God had for his life.  That’s an interesting way to face our disappointments and trials – call on God, learn from them, go on to worship God in the midst of them that His strength can work through our weakness to show Himself strong!

Forgotten?  No, definitely not!  David was in the midst of the refining process to become God’s tool, to become the King that would usher in the reign of the King of Kings; the throne and the Kingdom that would never end!

I close with a quote by Jim Elliott:  “The saint who advances on his knees, will never have to retreat.”

“In My Heart There Rings a Melody”

Today’s text: Psalms 9-11    John 8:1-27

On my way home from work last night I stopped at a grocery store to pick up a few items for my wife. I was searching for the place they hide the vegetable oil when I heard a loud voice singing from the other side of the store. It was the voice of a small child. He didn’t know all the words of the song, could barely pronounce the words he did know and didn’t have a great deal of talent but what he lacked in ability he more than compensated for in enthusiasm and volume. I found myself standing there listening and remembering those days when my own kids sat in the cart and sang as their mother and I did the shopping. I noticed that a couple of older ladies had stopped to listen as well. I asked one of them, how long has it been since you sang like that? She said she stopped singing like that when she was about his age and that would have been about eighty three years ago. I told them that maybe we should sing like that again. Maybe we should just stop worrying about what others might think. Maybe we shouldn’t be concerned about not getting every note right and remembering every word exactly. Maybe we should just throw our heads back and turn loose that song that we’ve been carrying around in our hearts for all these years! They laughed and said if I would go first they would follow.

When I read the first verse of our text it made me think about that little boy. David open this Psalm with the words, “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.” I don’t get the impression that David had a quiet little thank you in mind. I believe that he desired to publicly celebrate and loudly proclaim God’s mercy and goodness. There was a psalm in his heart that he could contain no longer. The words of his proclamation of praise were penned thousands of years ago and yet it still reminds us of the goodness of God.

That little boy who was singing his heart out in the grocery store last night caused me to stop and think, it caused two ladies to laugh and reminisce and I hope that his song and the song of David ministers to you today as well.

HOPE AMID HOSTILITY

Psalm 7-8; John 7:28-53

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit had not been given since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”  John 7:37

Today’s reading highlights a conversation that occurred during  a high and holy event in Jerusalem.  From all over the nation a pilgrimage had been made to celebrate the Feast of Booths.

Along with the ten commandments given by God on Mount Sinai was a requirement to celebrate seven feasts throughout the year.  He included the names, why they were to be celebrated, and when.  Israel’s history was rehearsed each year through the various feasts:  In the spring they celebrate the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of First fruits to celebrate their trek from slavery to the promised land.

During the summer they celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.

In the fall the final three are celebrated:  The Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and finally the Feast of Booths.

In contrast to the other Feasts, the Feast of Booths was to be a week long celebration.  They were asked to remember the comparatively flimsy accommodations that the wilderness provided.    Celebrants erected crude tents or huts for their families to dwell in for a period of seven days.

The Jews were looking for him to show up at this feast and began asking “Where is that man?” Each had their own perspective on just who he was.  Comments like;

“He is a good man.” 

“No, he deceives people. “

“He is the Christ.”

“How can the Christ come from Galilee?  Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family…?”

As I read the John 7 account of this celebration, I was surprised how how little was given to “reminiscence.”  Rather, there is an overwhelming  environment  of hostility.  I would imagine that a hostile audience is a difficult audience to face.  Have you noticed that politics seems always to find a way of trying to trump what God really wants to accomplish.  The religious dignitaries at this feast had one goal.

Jesus remained out of sight until the middle of this feast.  When he began to teach, immediately people are amazed.

“How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”

Jesus replied that his teaching came from his father.  And then he confronted them by asking, “Why are you trying to kill me?”

The arguments and fights escalated and some thought was even given to arresting him.

Finally on the last day of the feast, Jesus boldly proclaimed “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

You and I are so privileged to be alive in the age of the Holy Spirit.  We have had the pleasure of living our lives in the light of Jesus’ promise in John 7.  So much of the value of our faith rests in remembering what God has given us.

The role of Jesus, the Incarnate God, was not an easy role. However, no amount of resistance kept Him from announcing a better day for His people and for all of us.  Just as the Jews got sidetracked at the feast we sometimes do the same and the church turns inward rather than outward.

After many years of knowing Christ and serving the people of God, I must insist on keeping the Holy Spirit alive in me and in the church.

The Meaning of a Sacrifice

Today’s readings: 2 Samuel 23-24; John 6:41-71

I have a deep appreciation for the game of baseball.

When I say “deep”, I mean that I’m not just in it for the flashy home run hitters and high scoring innings — as fun as they may be to watch at times.  I also love sitting on the edge of my seat during a tense pitcher’s battle, taking note of the strikes, the fouls, the infield flies, the walks and the double plays.  When I’m into the game, I go into scorekeeper mode, and watch every pitch, every swing of the bat, every step off first base, and every dive under a fielder’s mitt.

I love this game.

I love the games where a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base, and a good third base coach can mean the difference between a win and a loss.  As boring as some fans find it, I love me some small ball.

And in those games where small ball rules the day, there’s nothing like seeing a solid hitter come to the plate with a man on first and nobody out, expecting him to swing for the fences and try to get a two-spot on the board… and instead seeing him drop into a crouch at the last second and lay down a perfect sacrifice bunt.

To the casual fan, there’s no glory in a sac bunt.  There’s no home run trot, no padded stats, no fireworks… Just another out in a game where the home team is already having a rough time racking up the hits, which may or may not bear any fruit.  There’s no personal glory, which is why it’s a sacrifice.

In 2 Samuel 24, King David had sinned in his determination to take a census of the people he ruled. The purpose was pride, unlike previous counts that God had commanded, and when it was done, David was overwhelmed with guilt.  God gave David a choice of what punishment would be given for his actions, and David chose the one that showed the most reliance on the mercy of God: a three-day plague, as opposed to a famine that would have Israel weakened before its neighbors, or months of war and persecution from his enemies.  The plague hit Israel hard, but David interceded for his people, and begged God to punish him and his family instead.

Then David was commanded to build an altar on that very ground, the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, in order to offer a sacrifice.  David asked to buy the land from Araunah, and Araunah — trying to be a good subject — offered it as a donation, in addition to the animals for the burnt offerings and the fuel.

Araunah was willing to give whatever was required of him to the cause, but King David refused to accept it as a gift.

 24-25 But the king said to Araunah, “No. I’ve got to buy it from you for a good price; I’m not going to offer God, my God, sacrifices that are no sacrifice.”

So David bought the threshing floor and the ox, paying out fifty shekels of silver. He built an altar to God there and sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. God was moved by the prayers and that was the end of the disaster.  (2 Sam 24:24-25, MSG)

How many of us have ever been asked to fast, and been tempted to give up something that really didn’t matter to us?  Have you ever considered giving things that you didn’t want anymore to charity as “good enough”?  Isn’t all that really just a meaningless sacrifice, much like David refused to give?

But don’t we all sometimes hold back from giving what God asks of us, because we will be inconvenienced in our pocketbook, or our schedule… or just our freedom to do our own thing?

And speaking of the freedom to do our own thing:

22 But Samuel replied:
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
(1 Sam 15:22, NIV)

 

There’s a Miracle in the House!

Friday

Psalm 64-Psalm 70

John 6:1-21

Today I am reflecting on the John 6 passage.  I haven’t read the book, but I’ve only read the title, There’s a Miracle in Your House by Tommy Barnett.  Tommy Barnett is the founder of the Dream Center in Phoenix and Los Angeles that ministers to thousands of people who are homeless, bound by addictions, or coming out of prostitution.  I’m told that the premise of the book is the story of The founding of The Dream Center and how he spoke to his congregation about how the miracle was not outside of them, but it was right in their house.

     Jesus asked Philip where they were going to buy bread to feed five thousand people.  Philip tried to imagine where they could ever come up with the money to feed all those people and where they might get it.  Jesus already knew that the miracle was not on the outside, but right in their midst.  A little boy with five loaves and two small fish was all that would be needed.

      I’ve been reflecting on the Christ Community miracle.  In the last nineteen years we so God do so many amazing things and we witnessed a beautiful sanctuary built for the glory of God.  Where did the miracle come from?  The miracle was in the house.  I’ve watched as people gave their talents to the Lord and put them together what God could do.  I saw amateur musicians and actors come together to put on productions that Branson would be proud of because the miracle was in the house.  Our church was not built on millionaires giving or selling candy bars.  God raised up this church because the miracle was sitting right in the house.  Thanks to all the people of Christ Community who continue to give their bread and fish and God continues to multiply it.

     I’m writing this to encourage myself about the next venture in our lives.  Our family is going to a church in Knoxville where expectations are high.  I’ve honestly lost sleep wondering how God is going to grow the church in Knoxville.  Where are the resources?  There are fifty people waiting for us to come and I’m keenly aware I have no bag of tricks to bring.  This morning I want to say to Bethesda Christian Fellowship that the miracle is in the house.  I had the opportunity to have a conversation a little over a year ago with the pastor of James River Assembly of God church in Springfield Missouri.  It is one of those huge churches with upwards to ten thousand members that sees scores of people get saved weekly and their ministries are broad reaching.  The pastor told me that when he came there were fifty people.  He said but they were not just any fifty people.  These folks were ready to do whatever it took to see God do something amazing in their city.

     These were the kind of people who I met at Christ Community Church nineteen years ago and these are the kind of people who I’ve already met at Bethesda.  Jesus is in our midst and he takes what little we have and multiplies and feeds the multitude with leftovers for those outside our walls that still need to be fed.  Christ Community Church as we begin this next phase our journey of finding a pastor to lead us and we may be wondering what the future holds, remember that the miracle is in the house.  Bethesda Christian fellowship as we wonder together about the future, remember that miracle is in the house.  For all of you readers in other places who may be wondering about your present circumstances, Jesus already knows what He is going to do.  The miracle is in YOUR house!