To Change or Not to Change

During this time of change and adjustment in all aspects of life, we also long for the “normalcy.” One of our temptations is to think “how do we adjust worship to make it more compelling?” While that sounds enticing, perhaps that is the wrong question. It assumes that something was missing or lacking in our worship life. But what if we were not missing anything? What if our worship life really was God giving to us what we desperately need: forgiveness, righteousness, hope, comfort? Paul reminds us that what we preach and what our worship life focuses on is: the message of the cross.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor. 1:18 NKJV)

Thus, we don’t need to bring enticements into our worship life. God has the best gifts already for us: “the message of the cross is the power of God to save.” We don’t need a show, or to be entertained. We need the life that God gives, freely because of what Jesus has done.

During Holy Week, we get to concentrate on the essentials:

• Palm Sunday: Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey amidst the acolades of the people, which later turn to calls for His crucifixion.
• Maundy Thursday: Jesus Shares the Passover meal, but more importantly He institutes the Lord’s Supper. Not just a fellowship meal, but Him giving His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.
• Good Friday: Jesus offers His very life for sinners, like you and me. He who was guiltless takes on our guilt of sin. He dies in our place.
• Easter: Jesus overcomes, sin, death, and the devil when He rises from the dead. That changes history for everyone who believes in Him.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21 NKJV)

Maybe changing is the wrong focus. Maybe the focus is on Christ and what He has done for us, and continues to do for us.

This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps 118:24 NKJV)

Prayer for those who have been abused

Gracious Lord, as we see more attention given to church abuse, we ask 
for Your guidance for all who are exposing. Give them Your wisdom, 
strength, courage, and love each day. We pray for those who have been 
abusing that they would be stopped and receive true help. Most especially, 
Lord, for all who have been abused and struggling, facing consequences 
that many do not know or understand. Open our eyes to see clearly, 
and be proclaimers of Your comfort.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.  (2 Cor. 1:3-7 NAS)