The Bible tells of that time when Jesus’ disciples were carjackers. Well, since they didn’t have cars back then I guess they weren’t technically carjackers, they were donkey-jackers.

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Easter 2020 will go down as the most unusual in my life thus far.  With the mandated Shelter-in-Place, churches will find a way to creatively celebrate the most important event in human history. But even the most creative presentations will be so different.

I hope to give us a positive perspective on a most unusual Easter.

Easter 2020 Sundays (plural)

For most if us the thought of not being at church on Easter Sunday seems almost sacrilegious.  But to the first century church, EVERY SUNDAY was Easter.  Remember that most of Jesus’ early followers came from the Jewish faith.  Saturday worship was their custom.  Saturday was their Sabbath.

But Jesus’ resurrection changed that.  The Book of Acts describes groups of believers gathering on “the first day of the week.”  For them Sunday was the first day.  They made it a practice to meet regularly on Sunday so that on a weekly basis they celebrated the Resurrection. By the 4^th Century, church leaders mandated that the Church meet on Sunday.

We’ve eaten a lot more homemade meals because of the COVID-19 induced sequester.  As a result, I’ve made a lot more iced tea than usual. In fact, I’m slipping on a fresh glass as I type this.  As I steeped today’s teabags I remembered an important lesson.

I don’t know of anyone who eats tea leaves.  In order to enjoy tea, we have to submerge the teabags in hot water.  The hot water brings out whatever is in the teabags.

I hesitate to call the effects of coronavirus on my life “suffering.”  I am merely inconvenienced.  But many are truly suffering.  Some have lost their lives or the life of a close relative.  Some are hospitalized and their families are unable to visit. 

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”

Thus began Charles Dickens’ classic A Tale of Two Cities.

The scene he depicted is not unlike what we have experienced over the last few weeks.  We have seen both the best and worst of humanity.  While some have hoarded, others have displayed unselfish generosity.  Some have complained, and others have chosen to encourage and uplift.  Many have lived in fear, but so many others have boldly verbalized and practiced confident faith in God.

The Best of Times

I’ve seen a lot of good and a lot of bad the last few days.  People have reached out to help those in need.  I’ve witnessed many people (myself included) exercise a lot more patience than usual with others.  More prayer. More positive talk.  Much more Christian witness and many more sermons online.

In the 1990’s, Pastor Mike Pilavachi of Soul Survivor Church in Watford, England did a brave thing.  He sensed his church had grown too comfortable in worship.  They seemed more interested in what they got from the music and experience than what they would bring to Jesus.

So, he decided they would strip away everything – the order of worship, the band, the sound system.  As worshipers came to church, he would ask them what they brought as their offering of worship to God.  Finally, spontaneous heartfelt worship of God broke through.

Songwriter Matt Redman would soon after pen a song influenced by that experience.  The song, The Heart of Worship, is a standard in many churches 25 years later.  However, it was birthed from a situation in which they were forced to worship differently.

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” – Luke 23:34
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Amazingly, Jesus first words from the cross were words of grace.

The Greek grammar of this verse seems to indicate that Jesus did not make the statement once, but repeatedly. The opening phrase literally translates, “and Jesus was saying.” So goes the grace of God that we find in Jesus Christ. His forgiveness is not a one-time amnesty. It is not payment on a charge account that enables us to begin racking up debt again. His forgiveness covers all our sin: past, present, and future.

As we begin this special time of spiritual reflection, we MUST begin with His grace. Without it, we would have no hope. His grace addresses two extremes between which we all teeter. On the one hand, we sometimes forget how much we need His grace. We tend to accentuate our positives to the point that we fail to own up to our negatives.

Paul reflected: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, I my flesh.” (Romans 7:18). He would further admit, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Galatians 6:14). 

Then on the other hand, sometimes we have the crazy idea that we are unworthy of His grace. If our worth were involved, it would not be grace. Grace means that God shows us favor simply because He chooses to, not because we deserve it. There is no sin quota that we surpass and no longer qualify for His grace. There is no single sin so great that God will not forgive it. His grace covers any, every, and all sin.

Reflect

Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wonder, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, Lord, take a seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.
Robert Robinson, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” verse 3.

Today, as you begin this journey of spiritual preparation for Easter, take a few moments and write a “Thank You” note to Jesus for being the agent of God’s grace through His death for you in the cross. Acknowledge both your need for His grace and your humble acceptance of it.
 

This is day one in a series of Lent Reflection available via email. These will not appear here on the blog, but you may subscribe to receive them in your email inbox by clicking the link below.

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Video games and the digital world have normalized the word “hack” our daily vocabulary. Basically, a hack is a shortcut.  In a video game, a hack allows you to skip levels of difficulty or easily handle otherwise tricky challenges.  In life skills, a hack is an easier or quicker way to perform some daily task.  Hacks serve to make life simpler. They promise to bring us to a desired end sooner that usual and with less effort and stress.

Spiritual growth, however, knows no shortcuts.  No spiritual hack will allow you to skip difficult steps to maturity.  At the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:24-27), Jesus contrasts the lives of wise and foolish people.

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The wise man anchors his life securely by digging a deep foundation in rock.  The foolish man takes a shortcut.  He builds his life through much easier effort of merely playing in the sand.  When torrential floods beset both lives, their foundations determined their outcome.  The life anchor in rock stood strong.  But the flood washed away the life of sand castles.

Busting up rock and digging a deep foundation are hard work.  Building sand castles are easy.  We do that on vacation.  Sand castles are a spiritual hack doomed to failure.

Building a No Shortcut Life

Spiritual growth requires effort and hard work.  No quick fixes or shortcuts produce spiritual maturity.  The one who desires to grow in faith will exercise discipline and expend spiritual energy.

One of the most important foundations into which we should anchor our lives is regular, systematic Bible intake.  There is no shortcut there is no hack around immersing ourselves in God’s Word.  We cannot obey God if we do not know what He has said.  We cannot know what God has said if we do not read His Word.

Let me suggest three disciplines that will anchor your life in the Bible.  These disciplines are not easy, or we wouldn’t call them disciplines. But we will not see spiritual growth without them.

1. Bible Intake.

Regular systematic reading. Reading larger portions of Scripture gives you a big-picture view of God’s story.  You can use one of the “read the Bible through in a year” plans or choose to read a few chapters a day at your own pace.  Click here for a some great Bible reading plans.

You might also consider reading a chapter of Proverbs each day of the month.  I have also found great delight in a plan that includes reading five Psalms each day.  Click here to read an article about a free app for your phone that will help you with this plan.

You might also consider reading a book of the Bible a chapter at a time or study a Biblical theme.  The possibilities are abundant, but you have to make the intentional effort to do it.

2. Meditation.

Meditation has gotten a bad name in Christian circles.  We have surrendered the word to Eastern mystical practices, but the concept has Biblical roots.  God encouraged Joshua to meditate on His word day and night.  If Joshua would do that, God promised he would prosper and see good success. (Joshua 1:8)

When we meditate on the Bible, we simply slow down long enough to think about what we read.  We consider how we might put the Bible passage to use in our daily lives.  One of the tools I like to use for meditation I call the SPECK method.  I used the letters of the word “speck” to ask 5 questions about the Bible passage I read.  Is there…

• a SIN I need to confess/avoid?
• a PROMISE I can claim?
• an ENCOURAGEMENT for a situation I am facing?
• a COMMAND I need to obey today?
• some KNOWLEDGE about God, His purposes, or His ways that I need to know?

3. Memorization

David observed that a person who memorizes God’s Word has a better chance of overcoming sin. (Psalm 119:11)  When the devil tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus countered by quoting Scripture.  (Matthew 4:1-11)  Jesus didn’t take the time to unroll His scroll of Deuteronomy and consult his concordance.  He stood ready to fend off the temptation because He memorized the Bible.

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You may think that you cannot memorize Bible verses, but you can.  Anyone can.  Take your time.  If you can memorize one a day, then do that.  If that task is too great, memorize at whatever pace you can.  I have a handy resource that uses the alphabet to help you memorize 25 verses.  You can click here to download the resource for free.  Take as much time as you need but make the effort.

You Don’t Need a Shortcut

As believers, we need to remember that spiritual growth is a continuation of our salvation.  We call it sanctification, and it is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  We do not need shortcuts when the Holy Spirit is our enabler.  When we make the effort, He provides the enablement.

Now.  Let’s get to work!

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Take some time to hit the comment button above and tell us 2 things you are doing or will begin doing to get more of God’s Word in your life.

For further reading:

Fresh Bible Study Ideas

How to Begin Investigating the Bible for Yourself

I’ve always been comfortable in crowds, and never shy in front of people.  I guess God created me that way knowing what He planned to do with me.  As I learned about personality types, I discovered I was referred to as an extrovert.

Extroverts gain energy from being with others.  Alone time bores them and they are constantly in search of a “party.”  Introverts occupy the opposite end of the spectrum.  They gain their strength in solitude and reflection. The introvert often feels drained after entertaining or dealing with others.

I noticed a trend as I have grown old(er).  I found myself seeking more time apart from the crowd.  But I was not becoming a full blown introvert.  Most of the time, I still gained energy from engaging others, but I also increasingly enjoyed times of solitude.  My trend toward introversion troubled me at first.  I wondered if that trend indicated an emotional or spiritual need I needed to address. 

Not long ago, I learned a new word that described where I stood on the “vert” continuum:  ambivert.  Just as someone who is ambidextrous uses both hands, so also an ambivert find benefit in both engagement and solitude.

Was Jesus an Ambivert?

As I reflected on the life of Jesus, I began to see in Him a very healthy pattern of ambiversion.  Much of the time, Jesus ministered to crowds.  There was a hungry multitude on a hillside, a packed house in Capernaum, and a pushy crowd at the beach. Crowds followed Jesus most places He went.  And if they didn’t follow Him there, they soon gathered around Him when they discovered where He was.