The Cowards in the Upper Room

As I was thinking about what to write for Easter, I thought about the Disciples. These men, who followed Christ for three years watching all his miracles, speaking to the God-Man about things we would sell our eyes to hear, and seeing miracles that were to great to be mentioned in the scriptures.

These guys knew more about Christ then we will ever know here on earth. They were willing to follow him for the rest of their lives.

But everything changed when Christ died.

When Christ was the one being mocked, Peter betrayed.
When Christ was placed on public display, the disciples hid.
When Christ was killed, they fled for their lives.

All the disciples hid in a upper room. They were fearful of their lives. Suddenly all the moments with Christ seemed to be a blur as their entire life suddenly became a very dark path with no direction.

These men were average guys from all walks of life. Tax collectors and fisherman. Brothers and sons. They no doubt have heard horror stories of other men who claimed to be the messiah and the consequences for those that followed false prophets.

I don't know what was going on in their minds. I can imagine them sitting around talking trying to figure out he conned them into actually believing that Lazurus really rose from the dead. I can see Thomas trying to explain everything away, while Peter, the outspoken one sat in silence, grieving the death of his best friend.

If the story ended there, these men would be lost in history. They would not so much be a blot on the history of Israel, yet alone the world.

But the story did not end there.

Christ Arose.

The God who died for the Wicked, rose again on the third day, defeating death and giving men a reason to live.

Because Christ arose, these cowards in the room became bold. Not only did this resurrection event change their life, it made them willing to die for it. To be martyred, tortured, persecuted just as Christ was.

Because Christ is alive, we have no reason, nor excuse to coward in the upper room.

He is Alive, and because he is alive we have no excuse to sit around, we have no excuse to not be willing to die for the Gospel should God allow us such an honor.

We are called to take up our cross and follow Him even to the point of death.

It reminds me of the faith of Abraham.

"He considered that God was able even to raise him (Issac) from the dead:"

The belief that God can raise men from the dead should give us the courage to do anything for the sake of the Gospel, not coward in the room.

However, many people today live as if Christ died, cowarding in a room, as if their "faith is futile and they are still in their sins." They have forgotten that Christ can not only raise men from the dead, but he raised himself. 

Your faith is not futile because of the resurrection. You faith is not in vain. Your faith is rooted and strengthened in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of the resurrection, we should be more bold for our faith, we should be more active in the furthering of the Gospel.

God can raise men from the dead.

So get out there and do as God commanded you. Proclaim the Gospel to all men, in all nations.

You have no reason to fear, your God rules over death.

Here is the fourth part of our ongoing series...American Church Prayers You'll Never Hear

"Dear Lord, may you destroy the pastors concept of time while preaching, so he preaches as long as you wish...lunch can wait."

Today's Church Prayer you'll never hear. #003

This is the third part of our series of short twitter prayers that you will never hear from the pulpits of many american man centered churches...

"Lord if our praise team, or staff becomes an Idol. May they drop dead before us to remind us of our idolatry against you..."

Follow us on Twitter! - @LawGrace

The incomprehensible humilty of Christ.

Phillipians 2:5-8
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

I have been meditating on this verse all week. As Good Friday approaches I have been trying to really grasp what happened on that wooden crucifix two thousand years ago. This is the verse that jumped out. Christ was humbly obedient to the point of death.

I for one struggle with pride. Whether it is in my art, my preaching, my blogs or tweets, I seriously struggle with it. I am aware of it, I gladly accept the rebukes and have been trying to be humble more and more everyday.

The ultimate example of humility comes from Christ and I believe in Heaven when we see God in all his glory, once we stand innocent before God and observe his Wrath being poured out on those who were not benefactors of God's grace, then we will see the true humility of God.

How you ask?

Imagine for a moment someone stabs you with something sharp or burns your skin? Everything within you, all of your God given mechanisms for survival reach a sudden boiling point as you move your hand away and yelp. How hard would it be for you not to make a noise? I would argue that it would be almost impossible.

However, Christ while on earth not only went to the Cross silently, he refused all the desire to be as God. He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant.

Imagine the incalculable amount of humility it took Christ, the God-Man, to refrain from all the powers of God upon the first crack of the whip entering his flesh.

Our instinct would be to run. Our instinct would tell us to fight. But Christ remained.

If I was God, I promise you, before the leather and bones were in motion towards my body. I would have paused time like Hiro Nakamura and destroyed all of the matter in creation.

But thankfully, your salvation is assured because I am not God and because Christ was.

Not only was he humble to the point of death. He was also humble to the point of God's Wrath.

Imagine that moment. Where the Son of God, holds back his righteous and just anger on man for crucifying him and then in a trinitarian mystery pours it out on himself, his Son.

Christ was humble beyond our wildest imaginations.

But God was angry beyond our wildest imaginations, and in Isaiah 53 we see he was pleased to Crush his son.

Justice was served. The just wrath which prideful men deserved was placed on Christ and it successfully paid the fine for my sin and others...on that Cross, It was finished.

I thank God this week as I reflect on Christ's death and resurrection that the Wrath of God was poured out on Christ because of His humility and His kindness.

All of my pride was placed on the humble Christ.

He became Sin.

So I can come to him.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Transplant Radio #007 - Jon Speed of Lost Cause Ministries

Join us as we hear the testimony of Jon Speed author of the book "Evangelism in the New Testament" and hear his amazing testimony of being a false convert...while being a pastor. We will discuss his book and how it gives a biblical defense of street evangelism as seen in the New Testament.

You can buy Jon Speeds book here

You can download the episode here!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/transplantradio

Prayers that the American Church will not pray!

I have decided to write a daily short prayer for churches...These are prayers that you will not hear from the pulpit in many Churches across America. These prayers are completely trusting in the Sovereignty of God, and deny a man centered Gospel.

Oh also most of the are very short and to the point, preferably short enough for twitter. (Speaking of Twitter, you can follow me here...@LawGrace)

With that out of the way. Here is the first prayer...

"Dear God, I pray for our Street Evangelist..."

Transplant Radio now on iTunes!

I am very excited to announce that Transplant Radio is now available on iTunes! This is the best way to download the show automatically and to keep updated. It also makes the show more accessible to the public and I hope that people listen to the show who are not saved, here the Gospel, repent and place their Trust in Christ.

Please download the show on iTunes as this increases the Transplant Radio's popularity and general presence on iTunes. Also please rate and review the show on their website.

To view the Podcast on iTunes...Search for Transplant Radio in the iTunes store or Click HERE

Prayers you wll never hear #002

"Dear Lord, if our building ever becomes an idol please burn it down..."

I have come to the conclusion...

that men will fight for men who Blaspheme God far quicker then they will fight for the God who is Blasphemed.

Church...

You God is under attack. Yes he can defend himself, No, he does not need your help. 

But he has commanded you to go to War for him....

Will you coward behind the pulpits? Or will you march on the front lines?

Who are you willing to die for?

...and no one was listening...

Looking at this photo of Nathan preaching on the Boardwalk, I am reminded of that quote from Rob Bell in NOOMA 009. "I heard him using words like Sin, Hell, Repent, Judgement and Jesus and No one was listening"

Well Rob Bell. 

People Listen.