Running Update

Yes, I know it’s been a week, since I last updated, but it’s been a difficult week running wise.

• The great news was I scored a pair of new running shoes that normally sell for $75 for $31.50 — how’s that for a deal.
• During last Wednesday’s run, my foot started hurting — I thought it was my old running shoes.
• Friday – I went out for a slow run with the new shoes to break them in and did one lap
• Saturday – Pam and I went out walking and did another lap
• Monday – I went out and tried to do 3 or 4 laps but only did 2 1/4.
• Today, I was able to complete 3 laps — the feet are feeling much better!
• My time was 48:15 or 12:22/mile.
• It didn’t get as much mileage as I wanted this week, but I continue to lose weight.  I’ve lost another 4 pounds 🙂
• The weather looks beautiful for the weekend — should be able to get several nice runs in.

Pressing ON!

Weekly Lectionary Reading

Wednesday Of Holy Week
March 31, 2010

Isaiah 50:4-9a * Psalm 70 * Hebrews 12:1-3 * John 13:21-32

⁴ The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
and opens my understanding to his will.
⁵ The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,
and I have listened.
I have not rebelled or turned away.
⁶ I offered my back to those who beat me
and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.
I did not hide my face
from mockery and spitting.

⁷ Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
determined to do his will.
And I know that I will not be put to shame.
⁸ He who gives me justice is near.
Who will dare to bring charges against me now?
Where are my accusers?
Let them appear!
⁹ See, the Sovereign Lord is on my side!
Who will declare me guilty?

We continue our journey toward the cross — the pivotal point in human history.  It has been three days since Jesus rode in on a donkey into Jerusalem.  Jesus’ enemies are plotting and scheming to kill Him.  Here in Isaiah, we are again reminded of what Jesus was going to need to go through to save us humans.  To our human minds, Jesus’ death seems so senseless and the opposite of justice.  Here was God/man — he was God and yet 100% human, knowing exactly what we face.  Jesus was innocent of all the charges that were hurled against him.  It is simply amazing to me, what Jesus went through for us.  He didn’t have to do it — it was his choice.  What amazing love — what amazing grace — what amazing mercy.  Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice upon a cross.  Thank you for what you went through for us — to save us — to sanctify us for your purpose.

Tuesday Quote

Our worship will maintain intensity when we realize that worship does not take place in the church alone, but in our hearts and lives every day.  We must not limit our worship to one hour on Sunday — oh how much we sacrifice if we do!

Rick Warren

The Purpose Driven Life

Deadline

I think most of us can relate to this video:

Weekly Lectionary Reading

Tuesday Of Holy Week
March 30, 2010

Isaiah 49:1-7 * Psalm 71:1-14 * 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 * John 12:20-36

¹ Listen to me, all you in distant lands!
Pay attention, you who are far away!
The Lord called me before my birth;
from within the womb he called me by name.
² He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword.
He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand.
I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver.

³ He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel,
and you will bring me glory.”

⁴ I replied, “But my work seems so useless!
I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.
Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand;
I will trust God for my reward.”

⁵ And now the Lord speaks—
the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant,
who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him.
The Lord has honored me,
and my God has given me strength.
⁶ He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me.
I will make you a light to the Gentiles,
and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

⁷ The Lord, the Redeemer
and Holy One of Israel,
says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations,
to the one who is the servant of rulers:
“Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.
Princes will also bow low
because of the Lord, the faithful one,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

We continue our journey to the cross this week.  A friend of mine wrote that he feels like he is at the base of Mt. Everest climbing to the top this week.  Can you imagine what it felt like for Jesus?  Jesus was fully God and fully man.  The writer of Hebrews tells us that he experienced every human emotion just like us.  In fact, Jesus serves as our great high priest.  Jesus was lifted up high on a cross, so that all the world could see — Jesus was a light to the nations — Jesus calls us to be light to the nations — so that people everywhere will be saved.  From what I understand, the cross is probably the most torturous death devised by man.  You didn’t die from bleeding, you died a long, slow death from suffocation.  It was a humiliating, public experience.  Yet, the place where Jesus died was wonderful.  The hymnwriter Isaac Watts put those thoughts into words in his hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”  What was so wonderful about the cross?  It showed God’s amazing love for us.  We were unworthy — God in his grace and mercy made real life available to us through the cross.  Listen to these words, “”Were the whole realm of nature mine, that would be a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”  Think about the great love that Jesus had for his creation (humankind) that he would be willing to give up his life to save us.  There is no way that we could ever repay the price.  Jesus asks us to willingly give up our lives to serve Him and his Kingdom.  When we think of His sacrifice, how could we not?

The History of Sunday School

Here is a great article on the History of Sunday School.  It was written by Dr. Keith Drury (Professor at Indiana Wesleyan University) and his students.  It provides a brief history of how Sunday School got started and then asks, in typical Drury fashion some thought-provoking questions.

Here is how he concludes the article:

The question we’re asking…

We ask, “What would it be like if the church got a burden again like Robert Raikes?” What if we cared for the poor and illiterate and tried to educate them again—out of our own pockets? Is it time for the old Sunday school movement to become the new one? Will we keep the narrow focus of Sunday school to baby sitting our own kids and teaching them a few songs and stories until we’re ready to go home ourselves? Or could we reinvent the Sunday school by returning to its roots—offering literacy and moral education to the poor—for free? Do Christians care enough to do that?

Interesting thoughts….

Weekly Lectionary Reading

Monday Of Holy Week

March 29, 2010
Isaiah 42:1-9 * Psalm 36:5-11 * Hebrews 9:11-15 * John 12:1-11

¹ “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.
He is my chosen one, who pleases me.
I have put my Spirit upon him.
He will bring justice to the nations.
² He will not shout
or raise his voice in public.
³ He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
⁴ He will not falter or lose heart
until justice prevails throughout the earth.
Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”

⁵ God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out.
He created the earth and everything in it.
He gives breath to everyone,
life to everyone who walks the earth.
And it is he who says,
⁶ “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.
I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people, Israel,
as a symbol of my covenant with them.
And you will be a light to guide the nations.
⁷ You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison,
releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.

⁸ “I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to anyone else,
nor share my praise with carved idols.
⁹ Everything I prophesied has come true,
and now I will prophesy again.
I will tell you the future before it happens.”

We are in a special part of the church year called Holy Week.  This week we take a look at the journey to the cross.  Yesterday, in many churches around the world, we celebrated Palm Sunday, when Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.  As I wrote on Friday, it was the beginning of the journey to the cross.  Written here before us today are the words of Isaiah, describing the God who saves.  Jesus came to bring justice, to open the eyes of the blind, to free the captives from prison.  I love verse 8 and it is a sobering thought when we put things in front of God.  “I am the Lord; that is my name!  I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.”

This scripture talks about the God who saves, and I would like to share a video with you this morning.  A song that is familiar to most, “Mighty to Save.”

Sunday Night Thoughts

• I was up early this morning to get ready for today’s service.
• It was cloudy when we got up and now we are getting some heavy rain.  It’s cold enough that I want to curl up under a blanket.
• We had a great service this morning — the choir did a great job singing.  It was a full service — handbell choir, regular choir, and communion, but it all worked well together.  Awesome job, everyone.  Thanks for all your hard work.

Time to go home and get some rest.  Have a great week and Seize the Day!

Sunday Set List

This week’s set list is a little different because our choir is presenting a wonderful musical. Blessings….

March 28, 2010

Sixth Sunday in Lent (Palm Sunday)

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship

Mountain Ridge Ringers

Let the Happy Hosanna’s Ring

Musical Presentation

Parkway Voices of Praise

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) Created by Dennis and Nan Allen

How Can I Keep from Singing? with

I Will Sing the Wondrous Story and I Could Sing of Your Love Forever

You Chose the Cross (Lost In Wonder)

Who Is There Like You

Nothing but the Blood

Amazing Grace with Amazing Grace – My Chains Are Gone and Grace Flows Down

Amazing Grace – My Chains Are Gone (Reprise 1)

Connecting in Prayer

Giving Back to God

Special Music

Mountain Ridge Ringers

Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us

Song of Worship

The Power of the Cross

Worship through God’s Word

Extreme Makeover: Holiness Edition

The Power of the Cross

Worship at the Lord’s Table

Communion with Jesus Paid It All

Musical Presentation

See What A Morning (Resurrection Hymn)

My Heart Is Filled

Amazing Grace – My Chains Are Gone (Reprise 2) with How Can I Keep from Singing (Reprise)

*Benediction

Weekly Lectionary Reading

Liturgy Of The Palms, March 28, 2010
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 * Luke 19:28-40

Liturgy Of The Passion, March 28, 2010
Isaiah 50:4-9 * Psalm 31:9-16 * Philippians 2:5-11 * Luke 22:14-23:56

⁴ The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
and opens my understanding to his will.
⁵ The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,
and I have listened.
I have not rebelled or turned away.
⁶ I offered my back to those who beat me
and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.
I did not hide my face
from mockery and spitting.

⁷ Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
determined to do his will.
And I know that I will not be put to shame.
⁸ He who gives me justice is near.
Who will dare to bring charges against me now?
Where are my accusers?
Let them appear!
⁹ See, the Sovereign Lord is on my side!

This Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent. It also marks the beginning of Holy Week or a week that follow Jesus to the cross and then to the resurrection. This is one of the few times during the church year that there is a reading for each day. We will be looking at those readings each day this week. I want to focus on the Old Testament reading on for the passion of Jesus. Many around the world will also be celebrating Palm Sunday – when we remember that Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The crowds that were gathered there were ready to crown Jesus king. Remember that just a few days before that, Jesus had healed Lazarus of death. The Pharisees were quite upset at this rebel. They didn’t like that his popularity was rising. They were afraid of rebellion – they were trying to keep the status quo. They didn’t want to upset the Romans – for if they did, they wouldn’t be able to worship and govern the Hebrews they way they did. The Pharisees were quite afraid. We find that out in John. Jesus popularity had gone way up after Lazarus was raised from the dead. John even records at the end of his description of the triumphal entry the Pharisees saying, “There’s no way we’re going to stop Him now – The whole world has gone after Him.” Immediately following this event, things go downhill in a hurry. John records a cleansing of the temple which greatly upsets the Pharisees and they put the evil plot in motion to kill Jesus.

My goal this week is to take us through the passion – through the eyes of the Old Testament – This will be something new for me. Which brings us to today’s passage in Isaiah. Here we get a glimpse of what Jesus is about to go through. In verse 7, Isaiah writes about Jesus and his face being set like stone. Luke records Jesus with his face determined to go to Jerusalem. Jesus was determined to do the work of the Father. Jesus offers up his life – to be abused at the hands of the Romans. Jesus even asks, “Where are my accusers?” They would soon be there, even though they had trumped up charges. We see that Jesus was determined to do the Father’s will, no matter the cost.

How is it with you today? Are you willing to do the Father’s will, no matter the cost? My challenge for you is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus this week. Follow the passion narrative – see the work that Jesus did for you. The Sovereign Lord is on our side, no matter what we may go through. When we think about all Jesus has done for us and was able to follow through – He is our example – let’s follow Him!