What a great week at Torch! 66 people squeezed into our Receptional hall for an full morning of new exciting ministry opportunities, powerful worship, a Biblical message, sharing the Lord's Supper together, and then capped off with a beautiful special music moment. It's amazing that we fit it all in to an hour! Except that we didn't, we went about and hour and a half. :) But I think everyone would agree that it was worth it.
The encouragement this week from John 12:1-11 as we discuss Mary annointing Jesus from the oil in her alabaster jar is 2 fold:
First, be like Mary. Let your praise of Jesus be full and complete. What is beautiful about Mary's act is that her praise and value of Jesus is equal to His glory. She is willing to sacrifice and serve Jesus with everything she has, giving Him her absolute best for the simple reason that she believes He is worth it! And she believes this because that is how He how loved her. Her actions are a reaction to His abundant life and love. Does your service to Jesus look like Mary's?
Second, don't be like Judas. He masks his selfish motives behind the curtain of altruistic ministry to the poor. But Jesus isn't fooled. And his sin will only get worse as this story precludes his betrayal. Don't play with sin. Celebrate others successes without jealousy. And trust other Christians. That's what love does, it trusts.
So, who are you living more like? Does your service to Jesus look more like Mary's or Judas'?
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Lazarus, Come Forth
This week's sermon was a wonderful and encouraging account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave. Jesus claims to have brought life in John 10, then in John 11, He claims to be life. But He isn't just full of empty words. Then He demonstrates His power and calls Lazarus forth from the dead. That's my Jesus! Steve Cable shared an arousing thought with me after the service as well. Do you know why Jesus had to say "Lazarus, come forth"? Because if He wouldn't have said Lazarus, every tomb in that cemetary would've come to life! Think about that. He is powerful.
And His purpose is to show us Himself and His glory. Yes, He could've come a few days earlier and healed Lazarus from sickness before he ever died. It would've saved Lazarus extreme pain and his sisters their extreme grief. But Jesus' purpose isn't to spare us suffering, but rather to bring us more of Himself. And so in His deep love for them, He let's them mourn. Then He weeps with them. Then He does something far more miraculous than merely healing an illness. And that's what He wants to accomplish in your life too.
This Sunday's message will be on the woman anointing Jesus from her Alabaster Box from John 12. Jesus proclaimed He is the Life in ch 10. He then demonstrated He is the life in ch 11. He is now beginning to be prepared for burial in ch 12. Join us as we worship together and share in the Lord's Supper together this Sunday morning!
See ya at Torch,
BJ Sanders
And His purpose is to show us Himself and His glory. Yes, He could've come a few days earlier and healed Lazarus from sickness before he ever died. It would've saved Lazarus extreme pain and his sisters their extreme grief. But Jesus' purpose isn't to spare us suffering, but rather to bring us more of Himself. And so in His deep love for them, He let's them mourn. Then He weeps with them. Then He does something far more miraculous than merely healing an illness. And that's what He wants to accomplish in your life too.
This Sunday's message will be on the woman anointing Jesus from her Alabaster Box from John 12. Jesus proclaimed He is the Life in ch 10. He then demonstrated He is the life in ch 11. He is now beginning to be prepared for burial in ch 12. Join us as we worship together and share in the Lord's Supper together this Sunday morning!
See ya at Torch,
BJ Sanders
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