03/18/2024
One more thing about Pastor Jessica's message:
To Be Jesus’ BFF
There are Bible scholars who have come to believe that Lazarus was probably the best friend Jesus had—outside his family and disciples. He is often in the home of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. When there, it feels like Jesus is in a place where he can let his hair down among friends.
What an incredible compliment: to be the place at which Jesus feels most welcome and at home. To be a friend who doesn’t want something or need something or expect something from this extraordinary man. To be able to enjoy Jesus for who he is without an agenda other than to appreciate all the things that made him unique—wow—how fantastic would that be?
One of the undersold aspects of prayer is a kind of Listening Prayer in which we simply invite ourselves to come into the presence of Jesus on his terms, with no expectation of getting anything other than the gift of his presence. There is great satisfaction in simply ‘being’ in a kind of reverent companionship with our Master. In fact, Jesus goes out of his way in John’s gospel to say that he doesn’t regard us only as his disciples, or servants, or heralds—but that he welcomes us as friends.
As we get closer and closer to Easter, I’d encourage to try and find new and creative ways to appreciate and enjoy the friendship Jesus is offering you. Take a short ten minutes every day to come into the presence of this amazing man and let him set the agenda. Just be in the presence of he who is in so many ways “the ground of our being.”
What a friend we have in Jesus, the great, old hymn proclaims. It’s time to step into the shoes of Lazarus and learn once again what it means to move through life with that kind of companionship and friendship.
Archived Posts
One of the Longest Benedictions I Ran Out of Time to Share
Maybe you know the story of how Joseph and Mary accidentally left Jesus at the gas station on their way home from Jerusalem. Well, not the gas station bathroom in Jesus’ case. Joe and Mary are far down the road before they realize Jesus isn’t with them...
So many quips and quotes...
So little time to preach
I wonder what Mary and Martha’s phones might look like:
* Martha = the open browser with 27 tabs
* Mary = the single window that matters
* Psalm 46 = God saying, “Close the tabs.”
Quotable Outtakes That Didn’t Make the Sermon This Week
“When you try to control everything, you don’t just exhaust yourself—you quietly replace trust in God with trust in you.” & more
There is a challenge when it comes to preaching the Word of God.
Preachers are called to open up and interpret the word—inspired and written down thousands of years ago—and make it relevant to a very different world. On top of that there’s a degree of persuasion that goes along with the process.
What Jessica Really Meant to Say in Her Sermon…
When Jessica or Rick or a guest preacher takes the pulpit it’s hard for me to write a One More Thing Blog. I can’t share with you what didn’t make it into the sermon because I have no idea, not having written or delivered it.
Jesus Keeps On Ruining Funerals!
I didn’t have anything this last week that didn’t end up in the sermon. No catchy illustrations that didn’t make the cut. No theological insights that slowed down the main point. No one can ruin a funeral like Jesus. Told as I saw it and that was it. So I did some quick research and I thought I’d share just a reminder of what Easter is all about.
When I Don’t Get To Give My Benediction
Yesterday’s sermon talked about how we are in the thrall of self-centeredness—caught in a system that rewards those who climb to the top, even when you have to climb on the back of others. I talked about a famous sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King, ....