"Easter" Sunday Reflections

Amazing!! That is the only word that comes to mind as I think about this morning's services. Allyssa and I arrived at the church around 6:30am, along with few other people and we made our way to the graveyard, yes our church still has a graveyard and it is pretty cool if you ask me. Anyways, we sang a couple of songs, read Isaiah 53 and S.M. Lockridge's "That's My King." After this we spent time together around some biscuits and gravy and tenderloin.

To be honest, I have been tremendously burdened for my church and my community lately. I always have a burden, but it has been a little more intense as of late. I have been at Idlewild for a little over a year, and we have seen one person give their life to the Lord. Not to take anything from that person at all, but I was beginning to question God's timing in the life of our church. I, along with others, have spent more time interceding for those in our church community.

So why do I tell you all this? Well today, our choir rocked! John and Kelley did a fantastic job putting together our Easter program together this year. Then I spoke on the Victory of the Resurrection, from 1 Corinthians 15. I attempted to lay out the gospel of Jesus, challenge those who call themselves Christians to be about the Father's work (that being preaching the power of the gospel to ourselves and to others), and invited nonbelievers to consider the sinful state and their need for a Savior.

Now what you may not know about me is, even though I am a Southern Baptist minister, I am not a huge fan of guilt ridden alter calls. I would rather expound the text (hopefully presenting clearly the power of the gospel in the text), and invite people to reflect on what was heard, examine their hearts, and discern how they should respond. Today, we did that, and a little girl came forward with her mother, and she said that she was a sinner in need of a Savior, and wanted to be saved. Again, I told her that God was calling her out to be His child, and that she just needed to tell him what she told me, and then claim Jesus as her Savior. So I prayed for her, and allowed her to talk to Jesus as only a 6 year old girl can.

I was so excited that I forgot everything I was 'supposed' to be doing. However, through God's mercy, I was able to collect myself long enough to serve communion. After the service as I was greeting people, a young man came up to me and said I need to be saved. We went into my office and talked, and he gave his life to Lord.

The miracle of Easter is this, that sinful man can come to faith in Jesus. Today that miracle took place in two individuals lives. Nothing I did, nor anything those two individuals did brought to them salvation. God granted them grace and mercy by offering them the gift of himself. I praise God that his is still the greatest phenomenon in all of history. I am still amazed at how glorious he is and how powerful the gospel is. May the praise and glory be given to God alone!

Good Friday And Listening Ears

Last night we had our first Good Friday service at Idlewild. Over the past month, I have wondered why it seems as though the only churches that have these services are the Catholic, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches. Why does it seem like Baptist churches only have "Easter Programs" or plays, instead of an organized observing and celebrating of the Friday our Lord Jesus took the Wrath of God for us? In an attempt to evangelize, I think we sometimes miss Jesus, even though our plays and programs are about him. It appears as though our programs play to an emotional experience, instead of a balanced experience. What happens is it becomes about what we can do, instead of celebrating what He has done.

Well last night, we observed and celebrated why we celebrate Good Friday. We sang songs and read Puritan prayers based upon the "precious blood". The text for the sermon was Matthew 27:45-54. With the help of James Montgomery Boice, I spoke on "The Miracle of Calvary". We seem to forget that the greatest miracle of all is that sinful man has the opportuniy to come to faith in Christ. That's why Friday is so Good.

Speaking of this, last night we didn't have a large crowd due to the vicious storms and Easter plays in the surrounding churches. However, even though I may have been frustrated with the crowd, God used the message to begin working on a 6 year old girl. It's funny, most adults sit back and because they already know the story they don't seem to realize that it still applies. On the other hand, there was this sweet child, who during the whole sermon took notes, without the help of mommy or daddy. After the service she came running up to me and says "look I took notes." As I read the notes, my heart began to break. She was really listening, and even though people have told me time and time again that children don't need to be in "big church" because they will not understand, this little girl did. In those notes was every point that I made, but what got me was she put it in first person:

1.) I am nothing but sin
2.) They nailed him to a cross
3.) Jesus is my everything

That was on a piece of paper from a six year old. God is beginning, in my opinion, to call her out to his kingdom. She is beginning to understand. She doesn't know how church "should be" nor does she know all the proper churchy lingo, and I hope she never does. What she is beginning to understand is that she needs Jesus, and I pray that during this Easter season that we realize that we are nothing more than sinful creatures, and without Jesus we are nothing. I pray that we get over our religious pride, and fall facedown at the cross and worship our Savior for taking the wrath of God for us.

God, give us all ears that hear, and hearts that obey. Have mercy on us, for we do not know what we are doing. Lead us to repentance and humility. May you be glorified with our broken lives.