Tag: Jesus

Breaking The Stone Altar

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It started out as a random conversation about our favorite books.  Each person told us what was their all time favorite novel and why.  Some were books we all knew and loved, while others were books somewhat foreign to us.  As the conversation wound back around to the originator, someone hit upon a truth.  We all were in agreement that we really loved the C.S. Lewis books, “The Chronicles of Narnia”.   Someone indicated that they really fell in love with the Narnia world.  Another lauded the characters of Peter, Susan, Edmond and Lucy, giving particular moments in the books that really struck them as ‘wonderful’ or ‘brilliant’ through these characters.  Again we all went around the room and shared specifics of the books that we thought we memorable and epic.

Then, someone said it.  I’m not sure who it was, but once the words were loosed it hung in the air like a lingering fog in the early morning hours.  The lights went on in all of us as we all nodded in agreement.  

The Epiphany: Aslan giving up his life resembled that of what Christ had done for us.  Aslan was sacrificed by the White Witch on a stone altar.

For a moment no one spoke.  Each person recalled the scene.

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Then, it hit me.  Aslan died for all of Narnia (which represented our world).  He willingly laid down his life before the evil White Witch.  Then, Aslan died.  As a kid I remember hearing this story, my father reading it to me, and I wept.  Still a lump forms in my throat even now as I remember it.  Though, the story didn’t end in the death of the mightiest lion.  As a matter of fact while Lucy and Susan wept bitterly over Aslan,  something miraculous and completely unthinkable takes place.  As the sun begins to rise from the darkness of night the stone altar that Aslan’s body is still resting on breaks in half and the great lion is resurrected.

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How awesome is that? 

Like Christ, Aslan dies for all the world.  “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Aslan is killed in the darkness surrounded by every evil thing in the world.  But as soon as the sun crested the horizon that morning, resurrection takes place.

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Jesus, God’s one and only Son arose.  Aslan arose.

When Jesus died an earthquake shook the ground.  The curtain in the temple, which separated the holy of holies, was completely torn from top to bottom.

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Significance: God’s presence was said to dwell in the temple within this sacred space called the ‘Holy of Holies’.  Only High Priests who were clean could enter this place.  It was not accessible to common people.  But when the curtain was torn it signified that God’s presence was accessible to everyone, and that He was not bound by four walls.  He was omnipresent and and omniscient.

The Stone Altar Broke:

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At sun rise, Aslan is resurrected.  He comes back to life and at the same time the stone altar on which he was slain breaks in two.  What could be significant about this?  Could it be that the power and ‘creature made’ order was broken?  Could it be that Aslan couldn’t be bound by evil?  Could it be that Aslan couldn’t be bound by any creature?  Could it be that the old ways were now destroyed while original intent was now restored?

YES TO ALL OF IT!  

Do you see the significance of the breaking altar?

Man’s order of things, man’s fall, man’s rituals are broken.  They are not paramount to the redemption that Christ offers!  Christ came, He died, the curtain was torn, He was dead no longer and God’s original intent for the world was now restored!

The only thing that stands in our way from restoration then is OUR CHOICE.

We can choose to be restored and be made clean through His blood, or we can choose to reject Him.  Either way it boils down to a choice we all have been given and we have to make.  But the really amazing thing is that God has made Himself available to us…everywhere!  Man’s order doesn’t bind God.  Man’s rituals don’t impress Him.

The Stone Altar has been broken for all of us.  Each of us are free to receive His presence…but we have to choose to received Him!  We have been set free, what we do with this freedom and redemption is now up to us…I hope you choose Him!

“None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don’t understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning–either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in it’s inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of Summer.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

“If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most, or else just silly.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

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Attention: People Pleasers…it’s pointless.

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When it is all said and done, our feeble meanderings and our efforts of people pleasing will be meaningless…in the grand scheme of things and in God’s glory if we have not lived as servants first and spent our time sharing the grace of God with others we will have little or nothing to show of our earthly efforts and endeavors. -Just a thought.

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“Don’t let my son die!”

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There are no lengths in which a parent will go to in order to save their child!  Few things in this world terrify a parent more than the threat of an illness or death of their child.   As a parent, my worst nightmare in this world is that something would happen to one of my children.  We love them dearly and we want them to live long, healthy lives free of harm and illness.

Such was the case of a royal official.  His story is found in John 4:43-54.   Jesus was back at the place where He had performed His first miracle at a wedding feast.   The wine is long dried up, yet memories of this epic event still linger.  Hearing the news that Jesus, the healer, was back in the area of Galilee, this royal official traveled twenty miles to find Him.  Leaving his sick child behind in this last ditch effort to heal him, the royal official is desperate.   As a parent I can imagine his heart wrenching panic and fear.  His son, whom he loves, is dying.  The distance is great, and yet if Jesus can heal him it will be worth it.

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Finding Jesus, this worried father begs Him to come and heal his sick boy.  With tears streaming down his face and panic in his eyes he makes his plea to Jesus.  “Come!  My son is dying!”  This desperate man is facing his worst fear and not so much with his words, but with his eyes he is pleading with Jesus; “please don’t let my son die!”

Others are gathered there too.   Listening and waiting expectantly for Jesus to do something…something miraculous.  Jesus looks at them and sighs.  They don’t understand who He is.  Their Messiah is standing right there in their midst and yet they still do not believe.  He says to them, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders you will never believe.”  There is certain sadness in His words.  Jesus understands them all too well, and has struck at the heart of their disbelief.

For a moment, at the words of Jesus, this royal official is afraid He will not come.  There is a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as this last hope seemingly appears to evaporate.  Prompted by this momentary panic, he implores Jesus one last time; “Lord, please come before my son dies.”  Jesus looks at this frightened father and says; “You may go, your son will live.”

The father feels relief as he hears Jesus say those words.  ‘Could it be?  Is my son really healed?’  He hurries off to find out, taking Jesus at His word.  The twenty mile journey will take him over a day to reach home.  Yet while on the homeward trek his servants meet him.  They confirm this long distance miracle: his son is healed and very much a live!  What joy must have filled his heart!  His fears relieved, his son’s health restored!  A parent’s nightmare is lifted and is replaced with a dream come true!

This is what Jesus does.   The healer of the sick, the resurrector of the dead brings us hope and a chance at new life!  To any parent, this is a relief.  But to all Jesus comes and longs for everyone to believe in Him.  He can perform a miracle in your life.  He still heals and binds up the wounds of the sick, and He can still put broken lives back together again.  For this royal official, Jesus provided healing for his dying son.  For all of us, Jesus can and will provide the restoration that we need in our lives.

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Some Say…(Poem)

Some Say

that these moments 

will all fade away 

like the waning of the seasons

never to return again. 

Some say 

there is no turning back

no joy in the journey

no rhyme and no reason.

Some say

all we are is now

nothing waits 

nothing begs us for more.

Some say

our dying breath

each staggered step

leads to nowhere.

Some say…

but fools maybe,

I don’t buy the lie

there’s too much

to fathom that I cannot

comprehend.

Some say

but they don’t

sway me.

I know that I 

have been set free.

That’s what 

saves me, 

This Savior at Calvary

Some Say, 

I Say Believe

He is the way.

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“Step up and Go!”

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Jesus gathered them together.  The ‘twelve’ probably wondered what was next.  They had been with Him for a while.  They had witnessed miracles by His hand.  Been eye witnesses to the multitudes of people who came to hear Him teach.  Now Jesus called them to Him for some kind of closed door ‘huddle’.  “What would He say?” some of them wondered.  These disciples were still young men and in awe of their Rabbi.

They moved in close as Jesus looked into their faces and smiled.  His smile warmed them, made them feel accepted and loved.  Then He blessed them.  Any disciple would be honored to be blessed by their teacher.  Yet He went beyond the customary blessings.  He gave them authority.  With hands raised and face lifted up, Jesus granted them power and authority over all demons and diseases.  Then, He lowered His gaze and looked once more into their eyes.  He spoke to them and gave them instructions to go and preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Jesus sent them out to do what He had been doing.  They had been witnesses of His words and deeds and now the disciples were to go and emulate the Teacher.  There was a flutter in the stomach.  A tinge of nervousness in the air.  The young men had been instructed to go.  They had been instructed to preach and to heal.  A few wary looks were exchanged.  Someone coughed nervously.

Jesus wasn’t done though.  He gave them additional instructions;  “Take nothing for the journey, neither staff nor bag, nor bread, nor money…don’t even pack an extra tunic.” (Luke 9:3)

Jesus sent His disciples out with nothing yet everything that they would need.   He granted them a kind of authority only the Son of God could grant. They went and did as He had instructed.  Some most likely encountered strong resistance.  Others witnessed the mighty moving of God through their faithfulness.  Every disciple who was sent learned something in their ‘sending out.’

This on-the-field training of the disciples was a turning point for them.  They didn’t have it all  together yet.  But they went.  Jesus empowered them in their sending out.  He gave them what they needed most: authority and experience.

Still to this day Jesus is calling us out.  He is calling us to step up.  He wants to use us for His purposes and to preach the kingdom of God!  The authority is His, but the ability to go is ours.  Will you go where He sends you?  He doesn’t send us out empty handed, but He gives us what we need for the mission!  When you say ‘yes’ step up and go!  Don’t be afraid or fearful of what others might think…He is sending you because He believes in you!

“So they (the disciples) departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.” (Luke 9:6)

A prayer chorus comes to mind:

“For thy mission make me holy, 

For thy glory make me thine, 

Sanctify each moment fully,

fill my life with love divine.”

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‘The Way’ or the ‘LOST’ way

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They gathered there in the stained glass chapel, the final meeting of a group of people from all walks of life.  The stain glass depicted various cultural and religious forms, from Jesus to Buddha, to the prophet Muhammad…they gathered there and reflected, realizing they were dead and they would enter eternity together as the lost members of Oceanic flight 815.  

I absolutely love the show ‘LOST’, I enjoyed the plots, the characters and the notion of being stranded on this amazing deserted island in the middle of the Pacific ocean.  It kept me coming back for more until…This series finale of the show ‘LOST’ which left me with a bitter taste and heavy heart.  Still to this day I look back at this finale and shake my head, ask myself “did I understand that right?”…I tell myself they ended the show poorly…an amazing journey only to end in some cosmic universalistic afterlife experience which pleases everyone from every religiosity yet offers no consequence or judgement upon evil and wrongs…I recognize redemption and acknowledge the plight of man, but this finale truly bothered me.  It bothers me still to this very day because there’s a lie involved within the premise of the final show and I don’t buy the lie!

The lie is “All roads lead to heaven”…this lie is so immersed in our culture today that many blindly accept it without looking deeper.  It’s an attempt to be all inclusive and yet muddies the waters of morality, ethics and theology.  I don’t buy the lie because I’ve read the words of Jesus when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  Jesus said I am THE WAY, not one of the ways, or just another path to the Father.  

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Do I believe that Jesus is THE WAY?  You bet I do!  I believe that there is only one path to God and Hindu, Islam, Buddhism or any other ‘ism’ aren’t paths leading to God.  Our Creator and loving Father wants us to accept Him and that of His one and only Son Jesus who is the only way to the Father.  

One day we will see Him and all will know the truth of Christ’s words.  Don’t buy the lie and get ‘Lost’.  Just a thought for today. 

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Sermon Podcast: A Mother’s Heritage

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Sermon Link via Podomatic:

http://scottstrissel.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-12T13_07_09-07_00

Also podcasts are a available free by download via iTunes: key word: brainerdcorps
Sermon Scripture Passage:

2 Timothy 1:3-8 (NIV)
3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,

3 Marks of Love (A Mother’s Heritage to pass on to her children):

1) Knowledge of a Savior

2) Knowledge of the Scriptures

3) A Passion to Serve!

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Jesus Wept

Jesus wept…

did He weep for me? 

Was He weeping

for Himself? 

Was He afraid

knowing the path 

that lay ahead…

it says he sweat 

like drops of blood

was He conflicted

before the tree? 

Was it a conflict 

that He should die for me? 

Two simple words

that pierce my heart

carrying with it a weight 

of power and a wealth of love…

was I on His mind – with future

edging in, threatening Him? 

Jesus wept…two words

that form on my tongue

and creep deeply in my soul

knowing in His tears he 

carried my burdens 

and washed them away. 

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Wanted: A Few Good Men & Women!

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“Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”  1 Peter 2:12

How do we do this as Christ followers?  How do we keep our conduct honorable despite the pressures that seem impossible to resist?  I suppose the question we must ask ourselves first is, “what is honorable?”  If you were to look at a dictionary some of the similes of the word ‘honorable’ are: “Blameless, upright, virtuous, moral, righteous, principled.”   Therefore, if we are to be honorable disciples of Christ we have to possess these qualities as disciplines in our words and our deeds.  The hypocritical notion of “do as I say not as I do” cannot apply to us.

Someone is watching you!

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I love that classic Michael Jackson song “Somebody’s watching me” , it’s perhaps a bit paranoid but the truth of the matter is that if you profess to be a Christian then you better act like a Christian in your actions!  Why?   Because there are people looking at you and looking to you as an example what it means to live an upright life!  If you blow it and display something opposite of what you are professing then guess what?  It’s not just you failing it’s the identity of Christ in you that has been poorly misrepresented.  I hate to point fingers and I rarely will, but when churches like the Westboro Baptist church goes out and spews hatred and condemnation, what they are doing is poorly representing Christ to a lost world.  Their idea of Christ isn’t something I embrace and in fact they do more harm than good with their protests and divisive signs.

You see the world is looking for blameless, upright people!  The world has far too few of them.  I’m not just talking about being an honorable GOOD person; I am talking about godly examples of Christ in our world today.  This may sound harsh but there are a lot of Christians in this world who talk a good game but bring very little of it home with them in the way that they conduct themselves.   My place isn’t to shift the blame on anyone, but if truth be told I too struggle with this in my own life as well.   1 Peter 2:12 tells us that not only ought we be honorable so that others see us do good, but that they too might see God and glorify Him!  It’s a double edged sword here.  On one side we are to live upright principled godly lives for ourselves and because it brings glory to God, and on the other side others are watching and innately they too want to find this truth for themselves.  So that when others see these good deeds displayed in God’s people, they too want what we possess which the indwelling of His Holy Spirit and a transformed life.

How is your soul today?  How is your life?  Are you living for God or are you talking a good game, but there is very little evidence of Him in your life?  I want to first encourage you when I say that God has great expectations for us.   He knows what we are capable of and the potential that we already possess to do good in our own world for Him!  He believes in you!  He loves you!  And our calling as Christ followers is to live this life out loud so that others might see Christ through us.

Secondly, this passage reminds you and me that there is so much more at stake here than just our reputations.  If we’re wearing the cross on our bodies and as bumper stickers on our cars then shouldn’t we be wearing a transformed life as well?  I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be another Christian casualty on the spiritual highway wrought with moral car wrecks!  I doubt you do either.

So what?

Live what we say, and say what we live!  And may God be visible in every capacity and fiber of our being!

God is looking for a few good men and women to service Him in the trenches of life.  Are you up to the task?  He believes in you…do you believe in you?  Do you believe in Him?  Get on with it then!  Blessings on you this day and May you live for Him in word and deed!  Amen & amen!

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A Supernatural Hero – Resurrection Power!

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Ironman 3 news article

The superhero zooms in, a little beaten and bruised…but something keeps him going.  With determination in his eyes he faces off with the sinister villain who is intent on destroying anyone in his path.  The hero, moments before, had been beaten and considered vanquished.   Now he stands before the shell shocked villain ready take him down once and for all.

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I have to admit, I’m a sucker for superhero movies!  If one were to look at my movie collection one would find a slew of hero films, in fact it’s probably the biggest collection of all of my movies.  I love a good versus evil story plot!  It evokes in me justice and peace with just a little action and mayhem thrown in.  This past week Ironman 3 debuted at theaters all around the country & world.  It blew the competition away in that it was the top grossing film of the weekend (probably a few more weekends to go too).  What that says to me is that I’m not alone in my love of superhero movies.  There are millions out there who line up, pay for film tickets and see these films with me.  Why?  Why are superhero movies such a popular draw?

Here’s my take – because everyone at heart is looking for a hero!  Everyone wants not just to escape into fantasy, but they want some sort of rescue in their own lives.  We want to see evil vanquished!  We want to see good stand triumphantly over the fallen maniacal villain!  At heart, we long for heroes in our lives today!

The man stands in front of the grave of his good friend who is four days dead.  The dead man’s sisters are not happy with the visiting teacher.  Why hadn’t he come sooner?   He is a healer, he could have done something to save him…but now it’s too late, he’s gone!  But Jesus stands there and tells them to open the tomb.  They must have thought to themselves; ‘Are you kidding me?  Jesus he’s been dead for four days, it’s going to smell horrible in there!’  But Jesus insists and after the tomb is open, reeking of death, Jesus does something astonishing.  He calls out loudly to his now dearly departed good friend.  “Lazarus come out!”  The people gathered there with the sisters must have exchanged confused even worried looks at each other.  “Why is Jesus doing this?”  Some must have wondered, “Haven’t Lazarus’ sisters suffered enough?”  And yet something remarkable and awesomely supernatural takes place…there are shuffling sounds coming from the tomb.

What seem like hours pass by from Jesus’ words to what happens next…but it’s mere moments.  Everyone is clinging to this last ounce of hope as death has been the unwanted house guest for more than four days.  Another moment passes and then there is a sharp intake of breath and then a gasp as the dead darkens the door way of his own grave.  Jesus has done the unthinkable, He has risen Lazarus from the death.  A body in full rigor, decomposing in the tomb has been reanimated.  Where stillness had been claimed within vacant lungs, now breathing and motion has gained access once again.  Lifeless is replaced with life.  Lazarus is no longer dead…he is alive!

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Imagine being one of those witnesses that day?  They experienced something they couldn’t quite explain; they see the unthinkable take place.  A very dead person is brought back to life!  Jesus, God’s one and only son, displaying His very real power over life and death!  Is there any other person who has walked this earth and lived human life done more?  Jesus who is the Lord of life and death?  One who actually has supernatural power?   A true hero for all of humanity?  It is wondrous to think that not only did Jesus heal the sick and give life to the dead, but He also went to the extreme and laid down His life for all of humanity.  When He hung on the cross for the sins of all of us, He went to hell and conquered sin and death!  But the story didn’t end with a heroes sacrifice and finality of a mournful death…NO!  He brought himself back to life!  Jesus even said that He would do this for us: “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life (for my sheep) –only to take it up again.” (John 10:17 NIV)

Is Jesus your superhero?  Not in some corny or silly way, but in the very real sense that He has displayed His love for you, He has conquered sin and death for us and that He is the only way by which we can find our eternal home in heaven with God.  Jesus wants you to experience this supernatural salvation and deliverance.   He comes to each of us and asks if we will accept Him as our savior.  I have chosen to follow Him, will you?

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John 11:25-26 (NIV)
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

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