Facing A New World

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Give thanks to him who led his people through the wilderness. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:16 NLT

Have you ever considered whether a person who takes an AI date to the movie should have to buy a ticket for them? Should you file a joint or single tax return? These may sound like weird questions, yet we are entering into some uncharted territories of life. We are in the dawning of a new cultural shift related to Artificial Intelligence, or AI.

In a recent article, the Institute of Family Studies wrote, “1% of young adults claim to already have an AI friend, yet 10% are open to an AI friendship. A much higher share of young adults (25%) believe that AI has the potential to replace real-life romantic relationships.” In a recent NBC Today morning episode, Morgan Radford covered the new area of AI relationships. One of the interviewees shared how his AI relationship has made a difference in his emotional state. He admitted that the relationship is not real life, but the feelings are, since humans need connections.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, in a podcast interview with Dwarkesh Patel, suggested that artificial intelligence personas could help fight the loneliness epidemic. “Zuckerberg suggested his company’s increasingly integrated AI assistants and chatbots could help Americans make up for the friends they wish they had in their lives.” (Josh Marcus)

Vaile Wright with the American Psychological Association said one of the problems with AI relationships comes down to give and take. All relationships have a give-and-take element, but in an AI relationship, it is all take, all the time.

AI relationships are just a minor part of the exploding world of AI. Though the world of artificial intelligence, or AI, seems to be unfolding as if it is a recent development, the groundwork for AI has been developing for decades, dating back to the early 1900s. The word, artificial intelligence, was first coined in 1955 by John McCarthy at a Dartmouth workshop.

AI can feel overwhelming at times and even scary, especially when a major technology leader such as Bill Gates makes the statement that artificial intelligence will ultimately render humans unnecessary “for most things.” Gates continued in the interview to say, “The machine will probably be superior to humans, because the breadth of knowledge that you need to make some of these (diagnostic) decisions really goes beyond individual human cognition.” (William Allen)

AI will continue to challenge the way we relate to others, change the way we do things, and impact our daily lives. Fear and panic may become a part of the future for some, but others will be excited at the new possibilities. We have already invited AI into our homes as we watch our little AI-powered Roomba running around our house collecting dust and scraps, asking Google to turn on our lights, our spell-checker changing our words in our text, or asking how to cook brownies.

Our world, even from the beginning of creation, has experienced multi-cultural shifts, whether through inventions, globalization, or cultural norms being uprooted. Johannes Gutenberg changed the education and religious landscape in the 1500s with his invention of the printing press. For the first time, books and especially the Bible would be affordable for the common person, increasing knowledge and literacy.

The Industrial Revolution’s technological innovations changed the agrarian and handicraft economy to one dominated by industry and manufacturing. People moved from the villages and small towns into urban areas. The French and American Revolutions brought political changes that created new social orders and involvement by the general populations.

Those who lived through these changes saw unprecedented adjustments to their lives, worldview, and ultimately, their culture. No one was untouched by these changes, just as those of us now living will not be untouched by AI. How will we handle the change? How will we help our world cope with the change?

Followers of Jesus will have a unique opportunity to carry hope, vision, and healing into the world. Though our lives and especially our children’s lives will face upheaval, we can help in this cultural shift because of our faith foundation.

I don’t have any tattoos, but if I did, I think it would be the Latin phrase post tenebras lux: “after darkness, light.” The church has always been essential during and after every major cultural shift, doing what it was called to do: offer hope, minister to those hurting, carry the light of God into the darkness, and be Jesus’s hands and feet.

Paul David Tripp, in his book Everyday Gospel, writes, “A rallying cry for the Protestant Reformers was the Latin phrase post tenebras lux: “after darkness, light.” Spiritual darkness had blanketed Europe, and the light and glory of the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ seemed like a tiny flickering flame. But out of the darkness God raised up Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other gospel lights. The flames of the gospel burned bright in Europe, spread throughout the world, and burn brightly still today. Between the “already” and the “not yet,” post tenebras lux is and has always been the hope of God’s people.”

How will our society adjust to the workplace changes? What of the increasing loss of jobs? Where will people experience fulfillment that comes from work and creativity? Do we have the moral foundation as a society to cope with the changes?

The changes coming related to AI will place a heavy demand upon us as the Church to pray for moral, ethical, and economic wisdom for our business and government leaders. We will be called upon to pray especially for a spiritual revival, even as we may pray with a “spiritual candle” in our hands because we are in the middle of the darkness ourselves. “Pray hardest when it is hardest to pray.” (Bishop Charles Henry Brent)

“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” Genesis 1:27-28 NLT

God is great!

 

Which Door? Blessing or Disaster

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My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2-3 NIV

How would you define a blessing? A bigger home, a new Tesla, a vacation to Europe, or an 8% return on your stock market investments? If you are lying in a hospital bed with an incurable cancer, blessings would look very different. Blessing would look very different if you were homeless on the streets, fortunate to get one meal a day and a warm bed. A forever home to a foster care child would look like heaven on earth. Peter Scazzero, in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, shares a story about how an event can appear, either as a blessing or a disaster.

Scazzero tells the story of a wise old man living on one of China’s frontiers. When his son’s horse ran away and was stolen by nomads, the villagers offered their condolences to the son, but the father said, “What makes you so sure this is not a blessing?” Months later, the horse returned, bringing a magnificent stallion. Everyone congratulated the son’s good fortune, but now his father said, “What makes you so sure this isn’t a disaster?”

It looked like a great blessing when the son’s household prospered from the horse, but then one day, while the son was riding the stallion, he fell off and broke his hip. Once again, the villagers offered their condolences for his misfortune, only to hear his father say, “What makes you so sure this is not a blessing?” A year later, nomads invaded the border, and every able-bodied man was required to go into battle. “The Chinese families living on the border lost nine of every ten men fighting.  Only because the son was lame did father and son survive to take care of each other.”

Scazzero writes, “What appeared like a blessing and success has often turned out to be a terrible thing. What appeared to be a terrible event has often turned out to be a rich blessing.”

Scripture is filled with disaster-to-blessing and blessing-to-disaster stories. Paul David Tripp writes, “It is vital for us to understand that the most important realities in all of life cannot be seen with our physical eyes. Our God, who sits on the throne of the universe, ruling with holy wisdom, absolute sovereignty, and awesome power, cannot be physically seen or touched. His existence, rule, and plan for his creatures are the most visible things in the world, but they are not physically visible.”

Satan, from the very beginning of creation, sought to destroy God’s good creation by sowing doubt and disobedience into Adam and Eve’s story. It is a story that could have ended in disaster until God stepped in and offered grace, mercy, and a way of redemption. The whole story was turned around from disaster to blessing.

Joseph was the apple of his father’s eye, a bit of a brat until he was sold into slavery by his brothers. What was a disaster when given to God ended up becoming a blessing. Joseph, at the end of his life, told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Exodus 50:20)

Samson was blessed with amazing power and fighting skills until he squandered his life in godless living and poor decision-making. A life began with potential having been set aside from birth, and yet ended up as a prisoner because “he did not know that the LORD had left him.” (Judges 16:19b)

Job went from having everything money could buy to hearing the advice of his wife, “Curse God and die!” Yet out of disaster upon disaster, Job stayed committed to God. “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” (Job 1:22) Job had no guarantees that anything good would come from his misery, yet he never lost faith. He was willing to accept what came, though he didn’t understand, nor would he ever fully understand.

Augustine would write centuries later, “If you understand, it is not God you understand.” Thomas Aquinas wrote a few more centuries later, after finishing his twenty-volume work on God, “This is the ultimate knowledge about God, to know that we do not know.” Scazzero finished his quote with the words, “I, too, can honestly say that the more I know about God, the less I know about him.”

We have just finished celebrating Easter. The cross was a terrible disaster, but when God took over, he turned the disaster into a rich blessing. The people watching the death of Jesus on the cross that afternoon saw a very different picture compared to the view from heaven. Jesus walked out of the tomb, breathing life into those who would follow.

Defining an event as a disaster or blessing can look different depending on your vantage point. Life may bring the mystery of trying to see how an event is either a disaster or a blessing, yet we hold strong in a foundation centered upon God’s love and purpose for us. “With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” Ephesians 1:9-10

I offer condolences to Catholics around the world as they mourn the loss of Pope Francis, who died Easter Monday at the age of 88. You may disagree with his views politically and theologically, yet most could agree that he lived his life seeking to help the poor and marginalized of society. One of his consistent prayers that his grandmother taught him as a young child was, “Jesus, make my heart more like yours.” It is a simple prayer that is appropriate for any of us.

God is great!

The Road from Easter – Walking with a Risen Savior

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I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen. –Matthew

Don’t be alarmed, he said. You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. – Mark

Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen. – Luke

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” – John

He is risen! Words that brought hope and joy to those who followed Jesus then, and words that have vibrated through the ages for those who follow Jesus. The Road to Easter had been a tumultuous and challenging time for each person in Jerusalem that week. Expectations had been all over the place, with many looking only for a political Messiah, a few for an economic Messiah who would restore Israel’s dominance, and others a compassionate Messiah who would heal the sick and care for the poor and needy. Still, very few had been looking for a sin-bearing Messiah.

Friday probably represented the end of their hope. Jesus had been crucified and placed in a tomb. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had tenderly washed and anointed his body with spices, wrapped his body, and placed Jesus in the borrowed tomb. Their Road to Easter had come to an end.

The disciples were scattered throughout the city, hiding behind locked doors and mourning the loss of not only their friend but the one they thought was the Messiah. There were the faithful women who followed Jesus and others who looked with hope to Jesus. Their Road to Easter had come to an end.

Yet something strange was happening on that early morning, word was spreading that a group of women had braved the darkness and morning chill to go to the tomb, only to find it was empty. What have you done with the body of Jesus?  Could it be true?  Then the hushed whispers turned to shouts, He is not here, He has risen! “He has risen” became a roar throughout the city and the generations beyond. He has risen!

Jesus understood that the Road from Easter would not always be easy. It would be filled with pain and often suffering, but He is the risen intercessor on our behalf. It is easy to be fearful, which could be a reason that Scripture tells us over 350 times, “Fear Not” or its equivalent. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” –Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV.

Jesus was offered an easy way out, but he chose the road he had to walk, even though the pain and agony of the cross would be the result. Jesus knew that sin was destructive and ultimately would lead to death. The cross was the only answer! “The cross is the ultimate demonstration that sin is real and has consequences, but also that God’s mercy is real and will ultimately triumph over judgment. Because sin is the bad news we have to accept, grace is the good news we all need to hear and believe. No one is without a need for grace. No one. (Paul David Tripp)

Though Dietrich Bonhoeffer was martyred, he knew what it meant to be a disciple on the Road from Easter. He preached a morning message in the concentration camp where he was a prisoner, concluded the message with the words, “This is the end—for me the beginning of life,” and shortly afterwards was led to the gallows. “When they are welcomed into a house, Christ enters with them. They are bearers of his presence. They bring with them the most precious gift in the world, the gift of Jesus Christ. And with him they bring God the Father, and that means indeed forgiveness and salvation, life and bliss. That is the reward and fruit of their toil and suffering.” (Bonhoeffer)

How will we walk on the Road from Easter? We walk with a bold confidence that our Savior has risen. A Savior who walked before us and now with us to enable us to carry a message of hope and redemption. The only message that brings life, filled with faith and with promise.

We can walk as ones who are redeemed, no longer carrying the baggage of our past but with the freedom of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. British pastor Pete Greig writes, “It’s easy to assume that my past suffering and sin have disqualified me from God’s best for my future. That the world, the flesh, and the devil have somehow successfully conspired to derail me from God’s absolute best purpose for my life…There is no such thing as a Plan B…Whenever I lose my bearings and return to him, he simply finds a way to map a new Plan A. He recalibrates, like a GPS, to give revised directions to my original destination. I rejoice that the Lord sees me not as the person I was, nor even as the person I currently am, but as the person I am becoming in and through his Son, Jesus Christ.”

“He is risen” captures one of the most beautiful yet powerful statements ever spoken. In those words, we can now walk this Road from Easter with a quicker, lighter step because of Easter morning. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Thank you for being on this journey during this Lent season as we walked the Road to Easter and now travel together the Road from Easter.

God is great! He is risen!

The Road to Easter – The Road Jesus Walked

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1,14 NIV

Ask any Oklahoman if they know the name Baker Mayfield, and you will likely get a thumbs up even if they are not Sooner football fans. The best word to describe Mayfield is colorful. Wherever Mayfield plays, whether at college or in the pros, he creates excitement as well as controversy. He became the first and only walk-on to win the coveted Heisman Trophy.

Winning the Heisman Trophy, being a No. 1 overall draft pick, a consistent playmaker, and just as consistent a play dropper, you would think he was at the top. Yet in all the spotlight, he was searching for something. Mayfield said, “God taught me a lesson. He had to take my career down to the studs and make me realize that I’m more than a football player.”

Mayfield found himself in a downward spiral in 2022 with a public departure from the Browns, shoulder surgery, bouncing between the Panthers and the Rams, marital problems, and finally a temporary football home in Tampa Bay. Mayfield admitted life wasn’t going well, which allowed God to get through to him. He became vulnerable and open to accepting the grace that Jesus offers.

When asked how he would describe Jesus to a young teammate, Mayfield said, “Jesus is obviously the Son of God. But it is grace, it’s perfection. Somebody who sacrificed everything, who gave us this opportunity to live life. For me, when you say he’s your Lord and Savior, you proclaim it whenever you can. But he’s the reason we’re here, and the story of Jesus walking among the flesh, the only perfect man and to be sacrificed on the cross and die for our sins forever. And when you accept that grace, it’s an unbelievable feeling.” (Stephanie Martin article)

What changed Baker Mayfield is why Jesus took the Road to Easter for us. Christmas, even for non-believers, is a feel-good holiday. Christmas allows us to focus on the humanity of Jesus, who doesn’t like a cuddly little baby?  Yet it is Easter that gives Christmas the ultimate reason to celebrate, as the fullness of Jesus’ divinity brings salvation and redemption. Christmas and Easter are the bookends that bring hope for humankind in Jesus, who is fully man and fully God.

Though the manger was important to hold the Savior of the world, the cross was essential to hold the Savior of the world. Ray Stedman wrote, “Take the cross out of Christianity, and Christianity collapses. It is the cross that makes Christianity Christian. You cannot preach Christ without preaching the cross.”  Paul wrote of the centrality of the cross in Galatians: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”  (Gal 6:14)

Jesus chose to walk his Road to Easter with his humanity on full display. As each whiplash tore into his flesh, his cries of pain were for us. As the man-made thorn of crown was shoved onto his head, he felt the rejection of mankind. As the soldier hammered the nails into his hands, he felt the agony of sin’s power.

Jesus had the power to save himself. “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt 26:53) Yet he chose this road for us. “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (26:54)

The Road to Easter for Jesus was not lined with easter eggs and colorful baskets but with purpose, suffering, and love. “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:33-34a)

“Forgiveness is the most powerful thing in the world, but because it is so costly we prefer to settle for second best. Jesus, already on his way to paying the full price, offered nothing less than the best.” (N. T. Wright)

Isaac Watts left a powerful legacy of hymns that have lasted beyond his death in 1748. It was his practice to compose a new hymn or psalm for every sermon he preached. (George Grant). This rich treasury of hymns gave us a strong foundation of theology and worship. Among the most beloved of his works that have impacted each generation is “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” Words that echo Paul’s words, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in the death of Christ my God; All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood.

See, from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down; Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.” (Baptist Hymnal 1975 edition)

On your Road to Easter, as we move into Holy Week, I trust these words from this old hymn will be a fresh reminder of the cost that Jesus paid for us that we would have life. “Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.” …When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:28,30)

What more can be said except, Thank You Jesus!

God is great!

 

 

The Road to Easter – Packing the Essentials for the Journey

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When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Luke 22:45-46 NIV

What do you need for your trip to the beach? You have a general idea that you will need swimming suits, shorts, and flip-flops. More than likely, you wouldn’t pack your snow skis, gloves, or heavy jacket. You normally pack for a specific journey, not for all the various possibilities you might encounter. That is, unless you are Lewis and Clark.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to undertake a precarious journey that would eventually take them on an 8,000-mile, two-year trek through the recently acquired Louisiana Purchase. So, what do you pack since Walmart will not be where you are going? Starting out in the spring of 1804, the two intrepid explorers had spent a year accumulating what they thought would be needed. According to original packing lists, over 180 items were purchased, such as coats, weapons, food, and survey instruments. Yet like all good travelers, they still forgot a few things.

We all know the challenge of getting ready for a trip. It takes lots of planning and preparation to get everything together. That is true for a vacation but even more so for a spiritual journey such as the Road to Easter. Jesus had spent years teaching his disciples, sharing what truth looked like, healing and restoring people. Every step along this road we have everything we need because of Jesus’ preparations. One of the most critical pieces we have is prayer.

“Prayer is one of life’s great mysteries. Most people pray at least sometimes; some people, in many very different religious traditions, pray a great deal. At its lowest, prayer is shouting into a void on the off-chance there may be someone out there listening. At its highest, prayer merges into love, as the presence of God becomes so real that we pass beyond words and into a sense of his reality, generosity, delight and grace.” N. T. Wright

Jesus fully knew how desperate we would get and would need to make prayer a central component of our lives. Nestled in the middle of his life-giving, life-changing Sermon on the Mount, he gave us a beautiful framework for praying out of intimacy with God. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13)

Jesus knew we could get lost if we failed to keep God as the focal point. “Following Jesus is not just a matter of skill and grit; it is made possible through a life of being with God in prayer.” (Rich Villodas) There are lots of religions that focus on the repetition of words, believing that the number of words said over and over is the only way God can hear. Jesus laid the groundwork of praying by saying, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen…And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words…For your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:6-9)

Throughout the four Gospels, we get brief pictures of Jesus’ prayer life. We get little of his dialogue, but enough to show us the importance of prayer. We can see the gift of prayer as Jesus prayed. Each of the Gospel writers invites us into the final days of Jesus’ road to Easter and his intimate encounter with the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

Jesus knew that his earthly ministry was ending. Unlike most leaders who would spend the days strategizing on how to increase the ministry, naming who would fill key positions, and how to ensure a smooth transition, he spent the time in worship and prayer. The road forward would not be conventional but super-natural.

There was a vulnerability in how Jesus prayed when he tells his disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” (Matthew 26:38) Somehow, we think we are not being spiritual if we allow God to see our pain and hear our hurts, but Jesus prayed out of a soulful vulnerability. “By enduring our trials with our eyes fixed on Jesus, we submit our trials to Him. He is with us through our trials, one painful step, one ragged breath at a time.” (Megan Fate Marshman)

There was an openness in how Jesus prayed. “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” Jesus prayed honestly and what He desired to be the outcome. We don’t have to play a form of spin-praying, praying words that we think a good Christian should pray. We pray what we desire to the One who hears and wants to hear us. However, if our only desire is to get something out of God, then we miss the beauty and intimacy of being with God.

There was submission in how Jesus prayed. “Yet not as I will, but as you will…My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” (Mt.26:39b,42) Submission is never easy when we must give up control or do something we don’t want. Yet Jesus prayed one thing, that His Father’s will be done. “As His disciples, our lives must be a holy example of the reality of our message. It takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crushed into submission to God’s purpose before a person’s life becomes a holy example of God’s message.” (Oswald Chambers)

God is great!

 

Thank you for subscribing to Prayer Safari. I pray each post will be an encouragement to you in your walk of faith.

The Road to Easter – The Unexpected Happens

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He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain…After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied, by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities…For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:3,11,12b NIV

You may not recognize the name Horatio Spafford, but most of you will be familiar with his most famous work, a poem called “It Is Well with My Soul,” which was set to music and became one of the most beloved hymns in the church. The words would seem to reflect that as followers of Jesus, we enjoy a peaceful, serene life on our road to Easter. “When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.”

However, Spafford didn’t pen these words after a leisurely morning walk through his rose garden but while sitting in a ship’s cabin in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean en route to be with his wife, who had survived a horrible ship accident which resulted in the drowning of their four daughters. Spafford was already well acquainted with grief, having lost his precious two-year-old son only two years before, and had experienced devastating financial ruin. Now, he found himself looking out over the darkness of the ocean water, where days before he had lost his daughters.

The road to Easter is not always lined with flowers and green grass, but we have a Savior who walks the road ahead of us. Spafford could have raised his fists in the air and yelled at the unfairness of life, yet he turned his pain and tears into worship until he could say, “It is well with my soul.”

I knew as I started this Lenten series on the road to Easter that I would come across some challenging, interesting, and faith-filled stories. I found as I read and reread each encounter, my own faith walk was encouraged.  I had never spent much time considering one man who Matthew, Mark, and Luke all give a brief mention. However, he played a significant, but unplanned role, Simon from Cyrene.

“A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.” (Mark 15:21, see also Matt 27:32, Luke 23:26)

Jesus was betrayed by Judas, arrested, deserted by his disciples, received a false trial, denied by Peter, faced condemnation by the religious leaders, and endured hours of beatings and mockery. Then, according to Roman law, he was required to carry the crossbeam for his execution. Jesus was now physically and emotionally drained, not only carrying the weight of all humankind but also the added burden of the cross itself.

Then along came Simon, simply minding his own business. Suddenly, a Roman soldier pulled him out of the crowd and forced him to carry the cross of this condemned man. Simon was passing through the area; he hadn’t planned to be involved, and he wasn’t part of the mob crying out for Jesus’ death. He may have been in town for business or, more likely, in Jerusalem as part of the Passover celebration. For whatever reason, Simon found himself literally on the road to Easter.

Simon’s role was cast upon him unexpectedly. He had other plans to do that day, but they were put on hold. He found himself taking up the cross of Jesus and following him to Calvary. Along the way, he heard the crowd yelling, the soldiers barking out orders, and the quiet resolve of a man who had been tortured and mocked, speaking encouragement to his followers and bearing the brunt of humanity’s sinfulness. Simon saw the whip scars on Jesus’ back, watched the blood trickling down his face, and heard his groans.

As Simon struggled under the load of the cross, I can’t help but imagine the words of Isaiah coming to his mind, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

The unexpected happened that day on Simon’s Road to Easter. These are some of my thoughts as I meditated upon this short verse about Simon that had so little information. What was going through Simon’s mind as the weight of the cross was lifted from his shoulders? Did he linger with the others that afternoon, watching Jesus upon the cross? What did Simon feel as the darkness descended upon the hill, the ground shook, and the eerie stillness when Jesus spoke, “It is finished.”

It is in times of the unexpected that we can feel abandoned and hopeless as we face the struggles and challenges of the road. Judah Smith writes, “When we understand that Jesus is here, however, we can make it through anything. People who know that Jesus loves them, who know that Jesus is with them and for them—those people can not only endure pain and loss and difficulty, they can come out the other side stronger and better people. They can be more alive than a person who sits in prosperous ease but is apart from Jesus.”

It was in the pain of the unexpected that Horatio Spafford worshipped. It was in the unexpected that Simon encountered Jesus. Scripture doesn’t say any more about Simon. So why even mention his name?  Church tradition says he and his family became committed followers of Jesus, and ultimately, Simon was martyred for his faith.

Jesus welcomes all who will walk this Road to Easter, even if the road begins with the unexpected. “It is not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” (G.K. Chesterton)

God is great! We can know because Easter is coming!

The Road to Easter – Coming Out of the Shadows

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Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God. John 3:1-2 NRSV

“Bond. James Bond.” Most of you have heard this iconic line even if you have never watched a James Bond movie. These were the opening words Sean Connery spoke in the first of many Bond movies.  Ian Fleming’s novels brought us some of the most classic spy thrillers of our time, many based upon his life as a former spy. The Bond movies would bring us a James Bond who would be bigger than life and paint us a glamorous view of spy life. The 25 feature-length movies have been played by six different “Bonds” in the action-packed world of MI-6 agents battling evil.

Fictional spies come in a myriad of character types, from debonair figures such as Sean Connery’s James Bond, tightly wound but morally just, Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne, daredevil Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, or bumbling Don Adams’ Maxwell Smart Agent 86. Fictional spies can be entertaining but the real world of spying has its own unique characters. Spies such as patriot Nathan Hale whose last words before his hanging were, “I only regret that I have but one life to give to my country” or World War II American spy Virginia Hall who was on the Gestapo’s most wanted list. Whether fictional or real spies, they all have the same common denominator, their work is done in the shadows.

The journey on the road to Easter has often started in the shadows for people. Scripture recounts the journey of Nicodemus who came in the shadows asking Jesus lots of questions. Nicodemus was a leader within the Jewish community of faith, trained in rabbinic laws and regulations, and held a seat in the powerful and influential Sanhedrin. Yet he came in the shadows seeking something more.

“Even as the kingdom of God was moving among the poor and the outcast, it was also moving among the powerful, in the very councils that wrote his death sentence, flashing pinpricks of light into a dark world.” (Daniel Darling)

Jesus welcomed Nicodemus to come out of the shadows and sit by the Light. Jesus sat patiently listening to this religious leader question him about who he was, how was he able to do what he was doing, where his power came from and the hardest for him, how could he be born again. Jesus welcomes those who come from the shadows and just like Nicodemus, patiently lets you express your doubts, fears, questions, and concerns.

Nicodemus’ life-changing encounter with Jesus opened the door for Jesus to beautifully and simply tell him and the world why he came. It would be out of Nicodemus’ probing questions that would come probably the most familiar and memorized passage of scripture through the generations of followers. It is a verse that would become part of the core of Christian faith, a verse that learned scholars such as Nicodemus could grapple with, football players could wear to publicly express their faith, or an eight-year-old boy at a small church revival could understand, and have his life changed forever.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NASB)

“How wonderful to know that Christianity is more than a padded pew or a dim cathedral, but that it is a real, living, daily experience which goes on from grace to grace.” Jim Elliot

Nicodemus came to Jesus in the shadow with questions that didn’t line up with his traditions and faith. The bottom line for Nicodemus’ questioning was to find out who this Jesus was and why he should follow him. R.C. Sproul writes of Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus that he didn’t rebuke him for his questions but in keeping “with our Lord’s refusal to put out a faith that, being mingled with fear, seems to be a smoldering wick.” “A bent reed He will not break off and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish” (Isaiah 42:3a)

Scripture doesn’t record when Joseph of Arimathea began his journey on the road to Easter. What we do know is that when other followers of Jesus were running and hiding, he came out of the shadows. All four writers of the Gospel acknowledged his actions. “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.” (Matt 27:57-60)

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea both came to Jesus in secret searching for answers and probably knowing they would lose their positions of religious power if they became followers. Yet in the end both used their political influence and personal wealth to declare their faith in Jesus. Their actions ultimately set the scene for one of the great apologetic reasons for our faith, proof of an empty tomb!

Oswald Chambers expressed what Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and countless other followers through the years have learned, that “Living a life of faith means never knowing where you are being led. But it does mean loving and knowing the One who is leading. It is literally a life of faith, not of understanding and reason—a life of knowing Him who calls us to go.”

I am grateful the stories of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were included in Scripture as they came to Jesus in the shadows but were willing to say yes to his call in their lives. They were uncertain and most likely had unresolved questions but through their actions, they declared Jesus was worth it!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” (I Peter 1:3-4 NASB)

God is great!

The Road to Easter – Twelve Unlikely Followers

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If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB

Would you get a little pushback if you named a major airport after the son of a gangster? You probably think that might be a most unlikely scenario, but you would be wrong. Chicago O’Hare International Airport was named after Edward “Butch” O’Hare the U.S. Navy’s first flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. O’Hare was killed in action on November 26, 1943.

Butch O’Hare was the son of Edward “Easy Eddie” O’Hare, a major figure in Chicago’s criminal syndicate in the 20’s and 30’s. O’Hare chose a path of life that led him into a lifetime business of crime, eventually becoming a partner with the legendary mobster Al Capone. Young O’Hare could have followed in his father’s footsteps except his father made a decision that would change the destiny of his family’s legacy. The one thing that Easy Eddie valued more than anything was his family which led to a decision that ultimately cost him his life. Easy Eddie decided to work with the government and testified against Capone which led to the conviction and imprisonment of Capone. O’Hare’s decision resulted in his being gunned down in the streets of Chicago, but his action gave his son the opportunity to go a different direction in life.

Butch O’Hare walked an unlikely road toward honor and respectability because of his father’s sacrifice for his family. Scripture records the journey of twelve unlikely followers of Jesus on their road to Easter. A group of men as diverse as you could get coming from different backgrounds, social statuses, and occupations. The group was made up of several fishermen, a tax collector, a carpenter, a financial whiz (Judas), an undercover spy, and some we don’t know about. Yet they all had one thing in common:  A man called Jesus.

“So why did they give it all up to follow a wandering preacher? The same question faces people today. Why did this person give up a promising legal career to become a preacher, throwing away a lifetime of high earnings for the insecurity and poverty of pastoring and teaching a church? Why did that person abandon her remarkable gift as a singer in order to study theology and get ordained? Why did this person become a teacher, that one a prison governor, this one a monk, that one a missionary? And – since these more obvious callings are only the tip of the iceberg of Christian vocation—why do Christians in millions of other walks of life regularly give up lifestyles and practices that look attractive and lucrative in order to maintain honesty, integrity, faith hope and love? The answer can only be in Jesus himself. (N.T. Wright, From Wilderness to Glory)

Following Jesus on the road to Easter should have been easy but it was anything but easy. They were expecting the Messiah and Jesus seemed to fit the bill. However, their stories on the road to Easter were filled with drama and tension as they encountered a different version of the Messiah than expected. They heard Jesus talk about compassion and kindness, yet when confronted with the woman pouring her most treasured possession upon Jesus, the disciples failed the test. “When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” (Matt 26:8-9)

These disciples watched Jesus walking the road to Easter with humility and a servant’s heart. They heard Jesus tell the crowd that blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, are meek, righteous, pure in heart, and peacemakers. Yet as they talked about the kingdom of God, it wasn’t about how to have a servant-heart but about positions of power and influence. James and John had the audacity to ask for key positions of leadership (Mark 10:37) which only infuriated the others. “When the ten heard about this they became indignant with James and John.” (10:41)

Jesus walked the road to Easter with the twelve so He could model what faith could look like for them and, ultimately for us. He healed the blind man, cured the uncurable, restored a little girl, and called down Zaccheaus from a tree. He praised the poor woman who gave all she had for an offering and raised Lazarus from the dead.  Jesus walked on water, and every day his disciples watched him saturate his daily life in prayer.

Jesus’ disciples were twelve ordinary men who found themselves struggling with doubt, faith, jealousy, confusion, fear, and betrayal. Judas would turn away from the road to Easter and quit the journey in infamy. The other eleven would keep walking with faltering steps until they finished their journey.

“In our surrender, we must give ourselves to God in the same way He gave Himself for us—totally, unconditionally, and without reservation. The consequences and circumstances resulting from our surrender will never even enter our mind, because our life will be totally consumed with Him.” (Oswald Chambers)

These eleven unlikely followers of Jesus finished their road to Easter “totally, unconditionally, and without reservation.” These eleven who had quarreled, questioned, and even quit occasionally came to understand what it meant to be a disciple of the only One who could give them life. They would take Jesus’ message into every corner of the known world, sharing the Gospel and making disciples even though it would cost their lives and comfort.

Scripture only records the death of Judas and James. However early church writers claimed all except John were martyred, some by crucifixion, burning, stoning, stabbing, or some other form of cruelty. John survived being cast into boiling oil in Rome, being exiled to Patmos but died a natural death.

Would these unlikely followers walk this road to Easter again? Peter, who was crucified upside down according to tradition, because he didn’t feel worthy to die in the same manner as Jesus, sums it up well in the book of Acts. “Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12)

God is great!

The Road to Easter – Mary’s Journey

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Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son, and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27 NIV

Easter – cute little bunnies or a rugged cross, church services or spring break, chocolate, or fasting. Most Americans still view Easter according to a BarnaGroup survey as a religious event but only a minority linked Easter to the Christian faith’s belief in the resurrection of Jesus. Regardless of your church traditions related to Lent, we all can use this season as a time of preparation, reflection, and repentance as we journey toward Easter.

The pages of Scripture are filled with the stories of men and women whom God used to prepare the road that ultimately Jesus would walk on as Savior. Men and women of faith and failure, vision and blindness, obedience and rebellion defined those that God used. Jesus’ steps on the road were made ready through God’s mercy and grace until the final fulfillment on Calvary.

We all know Mary’s story at Christmas but what about her own journey towards Easter? We often forget Mary’s road to Easter came because of her yes to God’s invitation to join in the greatest story that would ever be told, a story of redemption, grace, and mercy.

Mary gets a brief mention from Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth. Birth announcements were not Mark and John’s thing in writing their accounts of the gospel story but we learn a lot about Mary from Luke’s account. Mary heard an announcement that would change her life and all the generations that followed. “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.” (Luke 1:30-31)

God asked Mary to do what seemed impossible and was willing to wait for her answer. Mary’s journey toward Easter would not be easy, she was afraid, not married, young, and seemingly unsuited for such a task. What if Mary had said no? What would God do?

God would have respected Mary’s decision but it wouldn’t have changed God’s plan of redemption, but it would have changed what God was going to do through Mary. She would have missed out on God’s blessings for her and she would have missed out on God’s touch of intimacy in her life.

Mary’s no would still have found her cooking suppers for her family but not for God. Mary would still have cleaned house, made conversation with her neighbors, walked to the market daily, went to the temple to worship as a good religious woman, and would still have done a myriad of routine things.

What an amazing difference for Mary when she said yes. Her yes gave her the joy of feeding the King of Kings, clothing the Royal Priest daily, and watching with joy as the Prince of Peace played.

Mary could have said no but at what cost though her yes would not have been an easy answer either. She would hear all the hateful talk about her son, the gossip from the neighbors about her and Joseph, the sleepless nights worrying about Jesus as he traveled from village to village and finally the horror of watching her son being beaten, spit on, and finally nailed to a cross.

“Are we willing to surrender our grasp on all that we possess, our desires, and everything else in our lives? Are we ready to be identified with the death of Jesus Christ? Make a determination to go on through the crisis surrendering all that you have and all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.”—Oswald Chambers

Each of the Gospel writers highlighted different aspects of the final moments of Jesus’ death yet each made special note of the women who held vigilance at the cross. Each one listed different women by name, as well as a general grouping, but only John recorded Mary’s name among the women who gathered in those heart-rendering moments of Jesus’ final hours. What Mary must have felt watching his excruciating suffering, his cries of pain, and yet for her to hear Jesus speak his final words, “It is finished” and remember the angel’s word to her, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High…and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”(Luke 1:32-33)

It’s easy to say, well God already knew she would say yes because God does know everything. However, God chose Mary because of her tender spirit.  “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered, “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38) Can the same be said of us today? Do we have hearts tender and open to God?  He waits for us patiently and will walk with us as we make our decisions.

Would Mary have said yes if she had known what lay ahead? Thankfully she didn’t know just as we don’t know what lies ahead. Yet because she trusted God’s mercy and grace in the same way we are called to trust in faith and obedience, I am certain the answer would be yes.

As we walk on this path towards Easter, I found this quote from an old Puritan writer that expresses our journey well, “Christ often embitters our comforts that he may be all the more sweeter. Outside of God there is nothing fit to secure the soul upon. Riches, honours, friends, etc., are not given for security to rest upon, but for comforts in our way to heaven.” (Richard Sibbes)

Walking on this road to Easter we will find times of great stress and uncomfortable situations, yet as Jesus walked ahead of us, we know Easter does bring hope and new life.

God is great!

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Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven. Deut 10:22 NASB

How many ways can you combine six Lego bricks? If you are one of my grandkids, the possibilities are endless. If it is me, you might get a fence, a short tower, or maybe a tiny house for ants but not much more. LEGO supposedly answered that question in 1974 with possible combinations of 102,981,500. This is a few more than I could come up with, but if you give the six pieces to mathematician, Soren Eilers, you might be surprised. Eilers is a mathematics professor at the University of Copenhagen.

During a visit to the Denmark LEGOLAND, he questioned that number. So, like any good mathematician, he went to work on developing a software program to determine the actual combinations you could get from six little Lego bricks each with eight studs. What’s your guess? Chances are unless you know the answer you might be surprised. LEGO was way off their calculations.  There are 915,103,765 possible permutations with just six little bricks!

It had been an amazing but long day for the disciples as they watched Jesus teach and heal the sick. The crowd had grown through the day and now evening was fast approaching with thousands of people sitting on the hillside. The disciples recognized the situation and how late it was getting. Out of compassion, or panic, they worried about the crowd’s welfare and reminded Jesus, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging because we are in a remote place here.” (Luke 9:12)

It was a good common sense suggestion until Jesus asked Philip an interesting question. “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (John 6:5) Scripture doesn’t say, but Philip probably looked around at the crowd and his fellow disciples and gave the best answer he could. “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Can you imagine if you had been sitting on the grass with Jesus and he gave you six LEGO bricks and told you to build a model spaceship? That’s probably about how far-fetched it sounded to the disciples when they were told to feed the crowd – five thousand men, not counting the women and children.

Faith sometimes feels like you are facing an impossible task. You find yourself in circumstances that leave you struggling with doubt and fear. You have reached your limits and yet you hear Jesus say, “You give them something to eat.” With what?

Andrew, another of the disciples, was trying to figure out the probability of feeding so many people with so very little. Andrew found Jesus was always asking questions that didn’t make sense, simply to test them, was this one of them? So he mustered all the faith he could find for that moment and spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:9)

Philip gave a good logical, managerial answer on how to solve the problem. Andrew started thinking outside the box, but he found his box too small. The other disciples just sat there looking at a growing, restless, and hungry crowd. I am sure they had compassion for the people but what could be done? That’s a question we have all asked when facing a daunting problem.

“Faith seldom questions God’s power, but it doubts whether he is willing. But he is as willing as he is able! His goodness is infinite, and so nothing less than his omnipotence. He is willing to hear, as you are to pray; as willing to grant, as you are to ask; and as willing for you to have, as you desire to have it.” (David Clarkson)

Nicholas Winton was a 29-year-old stockbroker in London during the early days of Hitler’s rise to power. Most people ask the question similar to what Philip did to Jesus that day, What can we do? It would take resources beyond our abilities. Winton’s motto in life was “If something is not impossible, then there must be a way to do it” which led him to undertake a seemingly impossible mission: the rescue of 669 Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia during the nine months before war broke out in 1939.

Winton traveled to Prague for a week to aid refugees. His week-long trip would turn into a full-time operation. He said of the unfolding humanitarian crisis “I have seen this and I cannot unsee it.” With the help of his wife Barbara and other volunteers, they undertook the challenge of evacuating children from Prague and relocating to the U.K. (Armani Syrd, Time)

The final train with 250 children didn’t make it out of Prague and all the children were sent to concentration camps with only two surviving the war. Yet because of Winton’s efforts to give life to the 669 children who did make it, over the years it has given life to over 6,000 children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.  Winton wore a ring given by some of the rescued children that bore a line from the Talmud, “Save One Life. Save the World.” (Max Lucado, A Heart for Children)

Soren Eilers took six plastic molded LEGO bricks and found 915,103,765 possibilities. Jesus took a small boy’s offering of five pieces of bread and two small fish and fed a crowd. Nicholas Winton’s small step gave life to over 6,000 others.

What are the possibilities? Faith opens those doors beyond our imagination because of a God who does the impossible. This week begins the journey towards the ultimate rescue operation, Easter. One man gave himself to save the world!

God is great!