"Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." John 13:1
It's Good Friday. We will hold a worship service and communion tonite at 6pm at Lake Forest-Huntersville. We'll meditate on some of Jesus' prayers during Holy Week, interspersed with musical leadership by Liz, Reeve, and Matt (those guys are all 'first name' people at LFC, like 'Tiger' is to you). Then many of us will fast from Good Friday evening until Easter morning.
Today or tomorrow I invite you to identify with the passion of Christ by walking the Lake Forest prayer trail. Every person who braved the cold this week and has already prayed through this artistic experience has run out of words to tell me how grateful they are for it, and how powerfully the Lord met them there. I'm thankful for the strong biblical narrative throughout the trail, and its meditational aids. Its warming up. Our family is going to pray through it together today or tomorrow. Some have taken a specific question with them, some a need for relinquishment, most a strong devotion.
PASTOR FRIENDS. I received this yesterday from my long-time buddy David Dwight, encouraging his pastor friends about the privilege we have this weekend (David and I and David Beatty went through Church Planters Assessment together 16 years ago and continue a friendship anchored by a monthly conference call to talk about how our lives and our churches are doing). I share it with you because he's said so well what us pastor types are feeling this weekend:
Good afternoon guys,
This week of Holy Week and Easter is always the week of the year I enjoy the most. The fulness, the poignancy, the sacrifice, the sin and the forgiveness - and the empty tomb are so full and so deep. I enjoy Thanksgiving, I enjoy Christmas, I love Easter.
Can you believe that we have the privilege of being the ones who get to announce to lots of people, the incredible gift of new life and hope in the resurrection? It's the weekend of the year when I feel more privileged, more humbled, more honored to do what I do - than any other time.
I was trying to think of an analogy for this role we get to have - especially given that Jesus did all the work. I thought - bear with me - that it's a bit like a family that have gathered at a hospital with the news that a new grandchild is on the way. We are with our wives while they travail through the birth, and when the baby is born, we - the husbands, we the one's who didn't do the travailing, get to go out to the people waiting and announce the great news. We get the hugs and the joy and the celebrating. Our wife, who has done all the work - she isn't the one who made the announcement - we are. She's with the new child, she's holding the new life - with a deep joy - but we who did none of the work, get to be the ones who get to announce it.
Like all analogies, it has its flats - but it has a place of meaning for me too. Christ, through the travail, has brought new life. This time it's eternal life - for all who trust in Him. We get to tell about it and
spread this hope.
When I go into the weekend's services, it's also a joy for me to think of you - guys with whom I share a love for Christ, a love for one another, and a call to ministry. Together, we all get to share this news.
I'm really grateful. Have a great easter friends.
…death where is thy sting?"
David Dwight, Hope Church
http://hopecentral.com http://becomingcast.com http://www.wordandway.blogspot.com
