Blog Archives - River of Life Church

Why We Need Good Friday

3/29/2013

Good Friday is not a national holiday. The mail is still delivered, banks are opened, and life goes on pretty much as usual. But, we desperately need Good Friday.

Good Friday is traditionally the day Christians around the earth remember the suffering, crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. The film, Passion of Christ, brings an awareness of the brutality Jesus suffered. The world needed Good Friday during Jesus’ time, I need Good Friday in my life and you need this day also.

Jesus was arrested, found guilty of blasphemy by the Sanhedrin, the spiritual court of the day and sent to the Roman court for the death penalty. Pilate, the Roman governor found Jesus innocent, but gave in to the volatile pressure of the crowd.

Jesus was crucified along with two criminals for a period of about six hours. During His final three hours on the cross darkness fell over the land from noon to 3pm. Jesus cried out in a loud voice and died. An earthquake shook the land, opening up tombs and the bodies of many holy people were raised to life appearing to many people in Jerusalem. The veil of the temple separating the presence of God in the holy of holies from people was ripped by God from top to bottom.

Jesus was dead.

A seasoned centurion and the others that were guarding Jesus were so profoundly affected they said, “Truly He was the Son of God!”.

So, why do we need Good Friday?

The apostle Paul wrote this:
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Jesus’ death gives life to you and me.
His death gives life to all who believe and follow Him.
That is why we need Good Friday.

Maundy Thursday

3/28/2013

This is a re-posting of a previous Remarkablog.

Maundy Thursday is a term some people are familiar with and others not due to our spiritual traditions. The Thursday before Easter is commonly taken as the day Jesus celebrated the last supper with His disciples, prayed in Gethsemane, was arrested and put on trial. Maundy comes from a Latin word mandatum, meaning commandment in reference to Christ’s commands to His disciples to love with humility by serving one another and to remember His sacrifice.

Today, is also called Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great Thursday, Sheer Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries in various denominations. It commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus celebrates the Passover meal with His disciples on the night before He was crucified.

There are two primary focuses of this day:
1. Jesus washed His disciple’s feet as a life lesson showing the extent of His love. He calls them to lead sacrificially instead of power up leadership.
2. During the Passover meal, Jesus blesses the bread and the wine. He told them that the bread was His body, the cup of wine was the blood of the new covenant, and that they should continue to do this remembering Him until He returns.

Many services celebrate communion today. It can also be very meaningful to celebrate communion in your home with friends, your spouse or family. At the close of supper pass bread or crackers around remembering Jesus’ body taking the punishment for our sins. Pass a cup of wine or juice and drink remembering that His blood has washed and deleted all our sins forever when we put our trust in Him.

Luke 22:19-20 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

Have a Great and Holy Thursday!
Let me know what your tradition calls this day.
Comment here:

What's so good, about Good Friday?

3/27/2013

Good Friday is the traditional day that Jesus Christ was crucified. Why do we call the day Jesus was beaten and nailed to a cross, Good Friday?

Ray Hollenbach offers insights about Good Friday. Hollenbach, a husband, a father, a writer, a (former) pastor, a businessman, and a student of Jesus, writes about faith and culture at StudentsofJesus.com. He currently lives in central Kentucky, which is filled with faith and culture. His article, Good Friday: 4 Preaching Points to Remember, helps non-preachers as well as preachers see the good in Good Friday. Here is an excerpt:

“We want to embrace the resurrection, but Good Friday is an opportunity to remind your people that Jesus calls us to the Cross, too.

As followers of Jesus, we need to embrace Good Friday, which is a little bit like saying we need to embrace torture.

From that time on, Jesus began to explain to His disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to You!"
Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men."
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it."
Matthew 16: 21–25

Friday is the Road to Sunday:
Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus, but there’s more to it than remembering; our task as preachers is to call people to the Cross. We want to embrace the resurrection, but Jesus calls us to the Cross, too. The famous sermon says, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!" More properly, the point of the story is that Friday is the road to Sunday. There's no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There is no resurrection without the Cross. Our job as pastors is to tell the truth to His people: there's a Good Friday for all of us.”

The Tree that Listened to Jesus

3/26/2013

This is Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter Sunday. Following Palm Sunday, Jesus went to the temple the next day. On His walk from Bethany to Jerusalem, He saw a fig tree and went out of the way to see if there were any figs to eat on it because He was hungry. Jesus and His disciples knew it was not the season for figs; still, when Jesus found no figs He spoke to the tree.
Mark 11:12-14
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to find out if it had any fruit. When He reached it, He found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And His disciples heard Him say it.

They went to the temple and find it had become a place of revenue making instead of a place of prayer. The religious leaders began looking for a way to kill Jesus because He drove out the venders and money-changers.

Jesus and His disciples leave the city in the evening and Tuesday morning they walk by the fig tree again. The tree was completely dead from the roots and the disciples were amazed. The tree listened and there was never any fruit eaten from it again.

What just happened here?
Why curse a tree that was not in season to produce?

Throughout the Bible you read that Jesus always did things with purpose and not randomly. Most agree that Jesus was emphasizing Israel’s failure to be fruitful. Israel was like the fig tree that was lush with leaves, but produced nothing.

Everyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ is called to produce fruitful character and actions in their lives.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

As we approach Easter, ask the Holy Spirit to fertilize your fruitfulness.

Go Daddy.com and our Down Website

3/25/2013

I offer sincere apologies to all who tried accessing our website and were directed to Go Daddy.com’s web page. Our domain expired last week and was in need of renewal. The person who set up our domain name “riveroflifehome” is no longer actively involved in our ministry, so we had almost a week before the domain name was renewed. Unfortunately, the site you were directed to uses negatively provocative advertizing that treats women as objects. Even more unfortunate, Go Daddy.com is where we purchased our domain name.

When we first purchased our domain, Go Daddy.com’s advertizing was not like it is today and they offered the best pricing. Because our values differ with theirs, we are going to make a change. I welcome any suggestions regarding who we should utilize.

As followers of Jesus, we are not called to avoid contamination by the world. Instead, we are called to bring God’s truth and light into the world. Jesus prayed that His disciples and followers would not be removed from the world, but would be protected from evil while they are sent into this world.

John 17:15-18
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

As Christians, we have contact with companies and people that do not share our values. Sometimes, we might be sent by God to be a light into their business and lives. Sometimes, we may be called to align with a business or people who more closely share our values.

The "Who" of Palm Sunday's 'Hosanna'

3/20/2013

This is a re-posting with revisions of an article I titled, Palm Sunday from last year.

Jesus taught more profoundly than any other teacher. He demonstrated His relationship to God the Father and the authority the Father gave Him through miracles. Raising Lazarus from the dead was the miracle that caused Jesus to go viral in the area.

He enters Jerusalem and a flash mob of people show up with palm branches and cloaks on the road shouting hosanna which means “save”.

Matthew 21:8-9
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”

I would say that is a good day!
Not Jesus.

The rest of the week Jesus cleared the temple of corruption, taught at the temple, celebrated the Last Supper, and shared final things with his disciples. Before the week was over, Jesus was arrested, brutally beaten, crucified, and placed in a tomb, dead.

When I read about Jesus arriving to the crowds praising Him in Jerusalem and in less than a week a crowd is shouting for Christ’s crucifixion, I ask, “How did that happen?”

How did it go from “Hosanna” to “Kill Him” in less than a week? Was there two completely different crowds? Was this a highly unstable society or unstable group of people?

Matthew 21:10 helps us understand what happened.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

While some were shouting, “Hosanna!”, others were asking “Who is this?”
Every Sunday morning there are people who are praising Jesus and others wondering who Jesus is.
I have moved from asking “Who” to praising “Hosanna”.

Do you know the “Who” the “Hosannas” are exclaimed to on Palm Sunday?
Comment here.

Land or God - Which Would You Want?

3/19/2013

It was an Old Testament class and we were going through a rather uninteresting stretch of passages in the book of Numbers. This tribe got this much land and its territories stretched from here to there. This tribe got this area and that tribe got that area. A student raised an issue that bolted me to attention. The student felt that the tribe of Levi got cheated because they did not get any land. The remaining twelve got land and the Levites got none. The professor pointed out that the Levites were the only tribe assigned to serve in the presence of the LORD in the tabernacle.

The student still felt the tribe got cheated.
Let’s see: land or presence of God – which would you choose?

My suspicion is that the student had never encountered the presence of God. The amazing, tangible sense of God with you can make you bold and brave or tear-filled and weak. When the presence of God surrounds you, you are profoundly changed.

Perhaps the student has encountered the presence of God and is so accustomed that God invites everyone to come boldly before Him on a daily basis that the understanding that God’s presence was limited to only one tribe was not registering.

The student did change the way I read about the tribe of Levi. They were privileged with the most incredible access and exposure to God than all the other tribes. You and I have that same privilege every day, in fact, every moment.

Hebrew 4:16
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Revelations 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with Me.

Why Did Jesus Die on the Cross?

3/18/2013

An early stage of a child’s verbal and cognitive development is displayed by their discovery and questions. Children ask “Why?” to almost everything. Sometimes it is exasperating. Often the child asks questions we quit asking many years ago.
Why is the sky blue?
Why do we only one nose?
Why did God make lightning?
Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?

Christians in the early church also asked why Jesus had to die on the cross. The simple answer was because sin separated humankind from God. Early theologians gave three main reasons why Jesus died on the cross.

1.       God’s love for humankind. The importance of Christ’s cross focused on the sinner. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…”. If you were the only person on the earth – Jesus would go to cross for YOU.

2.       God gained victory over evil. People belonged to satan because of sin. 1 John 3:8 “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.” The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. Through the birth, life, death & resurrection of Jesus Christ, God defeated the devil

3.   God’s penalty for sin was paid on the cross. Sin is the breaking of God’s law and all have sinned. Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death.” Humankind is unable to pay the penalty. God must punish humankind or accept a substitute. The substitute must be human because humanity owes God, but it must be without sin to satisfy the penalty. Jesus, the sinless God/man is substitution. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Each view has scripture support.
Each view agrees about WHY – sin separates.
Each view agrees that the cross was needed to restore broken relationship.
Each view sees God as Holy, Righteous, Loving, Giving.

Accept by grace Jesus’ death for our sins because of God’s love, victory over evil and the penalty paid for our sin.

Who Is St Patrick?

3/15/2013

This Sunday, we celebrate St Patrick’s Day and I am reposting my blog about St Patrick from last year.

Other than shamrock shakes and wearing green, why is St Patrick recognized? St Patrick is the parton saint of Ireland. Though, widely known, much of his life is a mystery and it is difficult to determine what stories are accurate and what are legends.

Here is what we do know, from From History.com:
St. Patrick was born in Britain and lived there until he was a teenager. It is known that St. Patrick was born to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family.

At the age of sixteen, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)

After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice-which he believed to be God's-spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.

To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles to the Irish coast where he boarded a ship. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation-an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than fifteen years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission-to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)

More can be read at http://www.history.com/topics/who-was-saint-patrick

St. Patrick was named a patron saint of Ireland for the spiritual impact he made in the country that kidnapped him and enslaved him for six years.

God does extraordinary things through ordinary people that hear and obey His voice.

What can you do on St. Patrick’s Day that is a response to obeying God?

Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Jesus Followed the Money

3/14/2013

You would leave our church if I did what Jesus did!
Jesus talked a lot about money. In fact, Jesus positioned Himself where He could watch and see what amount people gave as an offering.
Mark 12:41-44
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Try to picture your pastor setting the offering collection in a central area of your church. Everybody would walk by and put in their money. Now imagine your pastor standing near enough so he could see what everyone put in that day. After the collection is over, your pastor talks about what people gave to the ministry leaders. l can imagine your pastor out of a job the next day!

Why did Jesus talk so much about money? Ministry leaders know that people do not want them talking about money all the time or even some of the time. What if the pastor of your church or director of a ministry you value really did what Jesus did?

I am not recommending pastors or ministry leaders change their offering style to include close up scrutiny of giving. Jesus told 39 parables or stories to make a spiritual point and 11 of them are about finances. Jesus knows that where your money goes is an indication of what you value and love.
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

What would your pastor discover about your heart if he saw what you gave this Sunday?