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Holy Saturday
The body is in the tomb. The hopes of the disciples are locked in darkness. This is a day I try to feel more than any other. That feeling of… what now? That feeling of… what happened?
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Good Friday
This is the most somber of all days. It is often marked by fasting, abstinence, and penitence. The church is stark in its decor this day, a reminder of the sorrow of what is happening. We remember what Christ has done for us and for the world. We pray solemn prayers on this day. They are much needed prayers.
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Maundy Thursday
We enter into the holiest of days. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday. The power of the Gospel is here. We are being led through the hardest part of all that Jesus has done to understand the power we have in the resurrection.
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Longing for the “Alleluia”
During Lent we refrain from the places where we normally say, “Alleluia” in our liturgy. It is meant to remind us of the season. It creates longing. Last Sunday I started to put an “Alleluia” in a spot… loudly. I mumbled, half joking, “I’m just so anxious.”
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We take our cues from the Kingdom
1 Cor. 1:18-31 We too often want our cues from our culture, our tribe. It may be wisdom. It may be strength. When we want power and control, we don’t take Kingdom cues, to be sure. The Kingdom shows us the way of the cross. What is foolish to this world is really our victory. We must come his way,…
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Walking through Holy Week
The high point of the church calendar is this week. All of it. Not just Easter Sunday. Let us walk with intentionality and not rush to resurrection. God handled death. Don’t be afraid to remember and draw near. This is the way of the cross.
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The stark reminders on Palm Sunday
For our church, we have a liturgy of the palms to begin our service. The Gospel around the triumphal entry is read. Then, the Gospel around the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus is read. Both on the same Sunday. We have all week to get to that passage on the crucifixion, so why on Palm Sunday? And, for our…
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Lent comes to an end… and I must find the way to HIM
John 6 may be my most favorite chapter. From v. 22 on, I find a pull in my spirit every time I read this passage. The words of Jesus draw me deeper every time. He is dealing with a crowd and finds a way to thin them out. Jesus wanted committed followers, not crowds.
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The power of the crucifixion
No one has helped me more with the complexities of the crucifixion than Fleming Rutledge and NT Wright. We’ve tried to make it a battleground where “my way is it and the other views are just wrong.” Rutledge cuts through the harsh battle lines and brings history into the equation. THIS INTERVIEW is well worth your time.
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The Opener
The slow sport begins today. The one everyone I know is tired of or never liked. Baseball.
