What On Earth Am I Here For?

There are some days, aren’t there, when we honestly wonder what life is all about and if there is some kind of plan behind everything, or if life is just a helter-skelter sequence of unassociated events? While it may seem, in those down moments of life, that a meaningless existence appears the easier path to choose, that is a horrendous deception. It is true, if there is no plan or purpose for our lives, we are not accountable for how we live. We can justify doing what we want, regardless of how our behavior affects other people. The crushing reality of meaninglessness, however, is worthlessness. If our lives have no meaning, neither have they worth. We are, as a song from years back went, “Dust in the wind.”

Just before Jesus Christ removed himself from the visible sight of his disciples – on the day we call Ascension – he explained what his followers are on this earth for. To those who identify with him, who call him Savior and God, Jesus gives a mission which at the same time is exhilarating and exhausting. His plan for our lives challenges us to the utmost while at the same time fills us to overflowing with supernatural meaning, value and importance.

How do you answer the question, “What on earth am I here for?” If you aren’t satisfied with your answer, join us either Saturday evening (6:00 pm) or Sunday morning (10:00 am) for the alternative Jesus offers you.

Mother’s Day Is More Than a Hallmark Card

Those of a cynical bent see Mother’s Day as one more money making scheme which leads people to buy gifts their mothers will probably not use in an effort to salve their consciences for not treating mom well during the other 364 days of the year. But Mother’s Day is so much more than that.

Mother’s Day is a celebration of that which is best in the human race. Mother’s Day is a day to honor the one person in our lives who probably sacrificed more for our happiness than anyone else. Mother’s Day is an opportunity to take a stand against the growing individualism and isolation of our society by stating boldly that people are more important than things, that family well-being is more important than self-centered happiness.

The Christian mother is a symbol of sacrifice. She is committed to doing anything for the good of her children, even if it comes at her expense. She represents the ideals and values which the American family so desperately needs today.

If you have a wonderful mom who seemed to always mix love and discipline in just the right measures, take this Mother’s Day to tell her what she means to you. Thank her. Tell her you love her.

If you have a mom who didn’t always get it right with her kids, a mom who was learning to find her own way in life, be there for her on Sunday. You can be sure she knows the mistakes she made far better than you. Tell her the past is the past. Affirm her. Assure her you will walk into the future together, supporting one another.

There is a fierce assault today on what has been called the “traditional” family – one husband, one wife and children. Its critics want to see our nation become a group of individuals whose greatest allegiance is to self-fulfillment. The traditional family, however, is God’s idea. It has been the foundation of every society in history. Every culture that has gotten away from family commitment has crumbled. The future will demonstrate the same as has the past. We need families. Motherhood is one of the pillars of the family. So let’s honor our moms Sunday – because they deserve that honor, because it is good for us to express our thanks to them and because our country needs Christians to celebrate the tremendous gift God has given us called – family!

What Kind of Proof Do You Need?

The first Easter Sunday when Jesus appeared to his followers, Thomas, one of the original 12 disciples, was not present. And no matter what the other disciples said to convince him that Jesus had risen from the dead, Thomas refused to believe. He said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” You probably know how that challenge turned out.

For a moment though, think about your own questions. Fill in the blank of the following statement with what causes you to doubt Jesus:

“Unless I ________________________________, I will not believe.”

Every one of us has had doubts about our faith. Maybe we didn’t want to put our finger in the nail holes of Jesus’ hands, but it was something we wanted him to do for us. Have you ever had thoughts like, “Jesus, unless you heal me or give me that job or make my life the way I want it to be, I will not believe in you”? This Sunday we’re going to use the doubts of Thomas to learn how to turn our doubts over to Jesus so that he can turn them into something positive in our lives. Doubts are something we all struggle with, no matter how sincere our faith is. What matters is what we do with those doubts. Join us either this Saturday evening (6:00 pm) or Sunday morning (10:00 am) and start turning your doubts into something good.

Easter: The Best Reason to Get Up in the Morning!

All of us have experienced those times in life when we didn’t feel all that enthused about getting up in the morning. Maybe it was a nagging problem which just wouldn’t go away. Or, it might have been the crushing sense of futility that the daily routine can have on us. We’ve all been there. We’ve all asked the question, “What good reason do I have for getting up this morning?”

Do you think that maybe some of the men disciples felt that way on Easter Sunday morning? Maybe that’s why we only find the women at the empty tomb. We do know for certain, however, that Monday morning there was no question all the disciples had everything in the world to get up for. On Easter Sunday evening, around dinner time, Jesus Christ physically appeared to his disciples. At first they thought it was a ghost, but after some reassuring words, a demonstration of his pierced hands and a bite to eat, they were convinced the dead Jesus of the Friday before was now alive.

It is not hard to imagine the celebration in that room two thousand years ago – the hugging, the happy laughter, the tears of joy. But Jesus does not leave them celebrating, instead he gives his disciples an ongoing mission. He said, “

“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you…If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

From that day on, Peter, James, John and the others never lacked a reason for getting up in the morning. They were on a mission from God himself to let people know that eternal life is a free gift to anyone willing to receive it. That mission continues today. It is no less urgent or important than it was when Jesus first gave it. If you need a reason to get up in the morning, join us this Saturday evening (6:00 pm) or Sunday morning (10:00 am). Your life may never be the same!

Easter Is the Answer to the Questions We All Ask

“Why?” That is the question on the lips of Americans. Even though justice seems to have been executed swiftly in the case of the Boston Marathon bombers, the nation is in shock. “Why are we such a violent people?” The events of the past week made it clear that the problem of mass murder is not rooted primarily in guns, but the human spirit.

In the coming days there will probably be news of lawmakers proposing all sorts of new legislation aimed at preventing another such tragedy. But deep down we know that laws are meant to be broken. What humans need is a change of heart – and that, in the view of many, will never happen.

Easter does give us answers to our “why” questions of 2013. They are not the kind of answers a human being would come up with, but they definitely address the issues at hand. It is hard for many people today to admit the need for divine intervention. But isn’t it better to confess we are helpless than to simply ask “Why? Why? Why?” without ever expecting an answer? That would seem to be the essence of futility.

Join us this weekend as we search out the Easter answers for life’s most agonizing “why” questions and let the healing begin.

Time to Step Up

They were two men with everything to lose and nothing to gain. What good could come out of burying the corpse of Jesus Christ? And think of everything they could lose. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were considered important by the way folks judge other folks. They had money. They were well known and respected. They had influence. So why would they risk it all by requesting permission from Pontius Pilate to give Jesus an honorable burial? Burying Jesus would be saying to Caiaphas and all the other religious leaders, “You were wrong in condemning Christ!” After seeing what Caiaphas did with Jesus, was it really worth taking on that man over a burial? Apparently it was.

Prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, Joseph and Nicodemus had been secret admirers. They knew Jesus was special, that he had something to offer which they desperately needed, but they weren’t yet ready to publicly commit to him. Good Friday changed all that. In an act of bold courage, they not only removed the body of Christ from the cross, but gave it the burial of a king. In no uncertain terms, Joseph and Nicodemus declared their allegiance to Jesus Christ to the world.

There are moments in the lives of every Christian during which we are called to step up, to publicly demonstrate that Jesus Christ is the Lord of our lives. Often it comes after experiences of great testing, when we are confronted with having to choose between living for ourselves or for Christ. How we have chosen in the past is in the past. What we need now is to prepare ourselves for the next opportunity. Join us for one of our services this weekend and begin to get ready to step up!

Easter Is about Second Chances. Do You Need One?

What do you think passed through Peter’s head on the Saturday night before Easter? Lots of regrets, that is for sure!

“How could I have denied him?
I never got a chance to tell him I didn’t mean it.
How can I live with myself?”

Peter needed a second chance, but he never imagined he would get one. How do you get a second chance from a person who is dead? We don’t know exactly what Peter’s first reaction was when he arrived at the empty tomb on Easter Sunday and it began to dawn on him that Jesus had risen from the dead, but one thought must have exploded in his mind. “I’ve got another chance with Jesus!” A few weeks later that chance came – on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

After breakfast on the beach, Jesus gets Peter alone with him and the two have the conversation of Peter’s life. It’s not an easy conversation, but it was all about a second chance for this man who had violently and vigorously denied Jesus three times.

The core message of Easter is: second chances. Not just for Peter, but for all of us. Join us this week end either for our Saturday (6:00 pm) or Sunday (10:00 am) service and claim your second chance. It can be as life changing as Peter’s.

Easter Is the Best Day of The Year

Probably you don’t have time to read this. Maybe it’s the kids who need to go to some activity or you have an appointment or maybe you are just dog tired from an exhausting day and the best thing you can do is relax. You’ve got a lot on your plate – too much at times.

Is Easter the best day of the year? Isn’t Christmas better? You may actually still be reading to see why Easter is the best day of the year. Well, think about it, about all the stuff that is stressing you out. If Jesus did physically rise from the dead, how important is it all? Now I’m not trying to minimize your issues. But think about it.

What are all the bills you have to pay going to mean the day Jesus raises you to eternal life in heaven with him? How important, as you enter heaven, will it be that the kids got to all their soccer practices? Your job with all the responsibilities you have, will it still be stressing you out as Jesus says, “Welcome home!” Even the real tough stuff like cancer is no match for Easter. Jesus rising from the dead overwhelms any disease because he says that his resurrection guarantees us that in heaven there will be no more pain or disease. And that hole in your heart that’s there because the one you so dearly love is no longer with you, Easter Sunday means the separation is only temporary, very temporary.

Easter is the best day of the year because it changes everything. It turns human life on its ear. We go from meaningless chemical containers who lead empty, unimportant lives to people made to love and be loved for eternity, whose every day has eternal significance no matter how insignificant it may seem.