I Find it All in Christ

Everyone is searching. For some it is peace, others success, others a meaningful relationship and for most all of the above. Even during Jesus day people centered their lives around their pursuits. The Hebrews pursued light or revelation from God, the Greeks wanted knowledge, and the Romans pursued glory.

Then the apostle Paul comes along. Paul was born a Jew to a Greek father and was a Roman citizen. He studied Jewish Law, and Greek philosophy, while living in a metropolitan Roman community. It was Paul who realized everything each of these people pursued was found in Christ. I believe this is why he wrote to the Corinthian church.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Cor. 4:6

In Christ the Jews find light, the Greeks could find knowledge and the Romans the glory they sought. Then as now everything we need, all of our pursuits meet their fulfillment as we gaze into the face of Christ.

I encourage you to take time today to pause and meditate on Christ. Once again realize that He brings light, knowledge and glory or His power and presence into your situation no matter how dark or difficult. Call upon on Him and you will find Him.

A Seasonal Message

Okay, I am officially tired of winter and want it to be over, by noon if possible. I want to walk outside, see something green, see a neighbor, and not dress in layers. But, the seasons are an amazing picture of our life in God.

I was reading this morning Paul's letter to the church at Corinth. He explains the heart of the Gospel this way,

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ
died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was
raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and He appeared to Peter
and then to the twelve." I Cor. 15:3-5

In this passage we have a picture of the four seasons. Fall represents the death of Christ, Winter the burial, Spring the resurrection, and Summer the evidence of the resurrection.

So we are coming to the end this wintry season that represents Jesus burial after His death on our behalf. We anticipate celebrating His resurrection in just a few weeks at Easter as Spring brings the witness of new life evidenced in the world around us.

It is true,

"since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- His eternal
power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has
been made, so that men are without excuse." Rom. 1:20

Lessons from Letterman

This past Thursday, while in New York, I attended the taping of the Dave Letterman Show with a pastor friend Tommy Duke from Pittsburgh.

I learned some invaluable lessons I hope to employ at Life Church.

Here goes my Top Ten List:

10. Make people line-up and get tickets in advance for church.

9. Have young pages with way too much energy whip up the crowd. "If you give a lot, Dave will give a lot."

8. Have a team of writers who do nothing but write jokes and find great illustrations for me.

7. Have a comedian come out and "warm up" the audience.

6. Have movie stars, politicians, and sports heroes drop in for a visit. (Howard Stern was the only guest my night :(

5. Have a band of professional musicians who can play anything. (But still volunteer)

4. Have a make-up person. (You all know I need this one).

3. Have a team of people standing around getting me coffee and telling me I'm wonderful (wait, that's what my wife does)

2. Stop every ten minutes for a commercial and a break between sermon points.

1. The ability to edit out all my mistakes!