Day of Praise

Tues, 02/27/18, "Day of Praise"

Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

In less than a month, Sunday, March 25, Palm Sunday, to be exact, we begin the Spirit-filling, mind-sharpening, heart-warming week called Holy Week, which is an 8-day, Sunday to Sunday journey with Jesus, recounting his path to the cross and beyond to his glorious resurrection. Our congregation offers 18 worship times that week with at least one opportunity to worship on each of the 8 days.

Why such an intensive focus and expenditure of time and energy?

Well, in Galatians 2:20, alone, there are two mentions of death, five mentions of life and living, and one mention of God's love in Jesus Christ. Here's how we might think about all this: Without the love story, it's just a sinking ship.

Without the love story, it's just a sinking ship. That's what's been said about the movie, "Titanic," and another movie "Pearl Harbor," and a real life fact, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus died for us, but it's his love for us that takes his death for us and infuses it with power. He could have just died begrudgingly. But he didn't. He died on a cross from which he prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Without the love story, the cross of Jesus is just a "sinking ship," a descent into a cold dark grave. But it's out of the power of love that Jesus died for us, and it's out of the power of love that God raised him from the dead.

The sinking ships of death and darkness and despair and the depths of the grave are always overcome by love. Remember? "Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus!" (Romans 8:38-39)

And that Jesus, who loves you, wants to live in you today and everyday because he not only wants to keep the ship of your life afloat, but he also wants to work through you by the power of the Holy Spirit so you can minister to people around you. Many of their ships are sinking. But your love in Jesus Christ poured on them, along with your Holy-Spirit-powered prayers for them and your promise-claiming words to them will help to keep their lives afloat too.

Praise God!