Josh Via

The Via Colony: Letters To Alethia ~ To The Girl Who Stole My Hear...

2013-11-12T14:27:00.001-05:00

The Via Colony: Letters To Alethia ~ To The Girl Who Stole My Hear...: Alethia Grace, My little brown skinned, Ugandan princess. I always said I could adopt. I never thought I actually WOULD adopt. ...

Becoming Still: There Is No Telling What Could Happen

2013-01-08T14:51:00.001-05:00

Becoming Still: There Is No Telling What Could Happen: "Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control." Proverbs 25:28 I don't know about you, but if I ow...

joshviamusic.com

2010-04-05T22:14:00.002-04:00

Okay, for real this time--last post on blogger. Now using joshviamusic.com. Blessings.

Passion Week - The Resurrection

2010-04-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Passion Week

Day Eight - Resurrection Sunday
Scripture Passage – Matthew 28:1-10
Parallel Passages in other Gospels for further reading: Mark 116:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10

The Resurrection

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Thoughts from Rob Wetzel:

I can’t imagine what the Mary’s were thinking and feeling when they saw with their own eyes that Jesus was not laying dead in a tomb, but rather standing alive. Sure, Jesus said He would rise again, but do you think they really believed it? Or yet, do you think they even understood the reasons why? It says in Matthew that “They hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy”. They were probably in a state of shock and awe to see His body gone and to receive instructions from a bolt of lightning. Then while in a dead sprint to tell the others what had happened, Jesus pops out from behind a rock. Wow! Their anxiety was immediately turned to joy and worship when they saw the one they loved, now alive again.

The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then His life and death would have been in vain. It is the resurrection that sets Him a part from all other people, prophets, and religious leaders. It is the resurrection that proved everything ever said about Him in the bible and by Him on earth to be true. It is the resurrection that gave Him victory over sin, death, and the grave. It is because of the resurrection of Jesus, that we can know He “is” God and know that we will experience the same resurrection.

When someone puts their faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior from sin and eternal death, they are born again and receive the Holy Spirit of God. It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was raised from death and brought back to life. Anyone who has the Spirit has life and has the hope of a future resurrection.

Some questions to think about:

What do I believe about the resurrection of Jesus? What difference does the resurrection of Jesus make in my faith? How does the resurrection of Jesus give me hope? Why is the resurrection of Jesus necessary for our eternal life?

Suggested direction for prayer:

Thank you Jesus for coming to this earth to rescue me from eternal death. I believe that you are who you said you were…the Son of God. And I believe that when you rose again from the dead, you made it possible for me to rise again as well. Thank you for being the sacrifice for my sin. Jesus, help me to trust in you more and more each day. Help me to walk as you walked and to live as you lived. Jesus, I ask for you to give me hope in the midst of death. I believe that because I am Your follower, I will one day rise again with you as well.

Passion Week - The Burial

2010-04-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

Passion Week

Day Seven – Saturday
Scripture Passage – John 19: 38-42
Parallel Passages in other Gospels for further reading: Matthew 27: 57-61,

Mark 15: 42-47, Luke 23: 50-56

The Burial of Jesus

38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with the Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Thoughts from Mark Harvey:
Burial – the ritual of placing a corpse in a grave. Funeral – the ceremony at which an individual is buried. I don’t like going to funerals! Of all of the things that I sometimes must do, this is the thing that I dislike doing the most. We attend funerals out of respect and love for the individual. Funerals are usually sad! There is a feeling of finality at a funeral, but the hope that we have, if we have accepted Christ as our Savior, is that we will one day see the individual who has passed (if they also accepted Christ). I have been a participant in two funerals, as I was a pall-bearer for two of my wife’s grandparents. I remember both of these services very clearly and I took my role in both of these services very seriously as I wanted to show my love to and respect to my wife and my respect for her family through my act of service.

In today’s text, we read about Joseph of Arimathea, who is burying our Savior! As it is with our customs, it was and remains very important for the Jews to give their family or friends a proper burial. As the scripture states, Joseph of Arimathea had to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus, so that he could bury it. Ordinarily if a Jew was crucified for a crime, the Jew would remain on the cross until the body completely decayed and/or eaten by the birds. For Joseph, who was a Jew, to enter into the court of a Gentile to ask for Jesus’ body, actually made Joseph ceremoniously unclean to partake in the Passover. It was nothing short of a miracle that Pilate granted Joseph’s request to give him the body of Jesus to bury.

Jesus died just a few hours before the beginning of the Passover, and because of that, Joseph knew that it was very important that he bury Jesus before the beginning of the Passover - this type of activity was not allowed during the Passover. Joseph prepared the body of Jesus for burial and placed him in a tomb which had not been used. Due to the fact that Joseph prepared Jesus body for burial, he would have again been considered unclean to partake in the Passover.

Joseph’s total disregard for the actual Passover, and his concentration on obtaining Jesus’ body for burial showed Joseph’s great love for Jesus! You see Joseph understood that Jesus was the Messiah, the real Passover Lamb, who was sent to be our Savior!

Some questions to think about:
Put yourself in Joseph’s shoes. How would you have felt, being a Jew and going to Pilate, who had just presided over Jesus’ death (even though he washed his hands of the procedure) and asking him for the body of Jesus so that you could bury it? How would you have felt about being the one to bury Jesus? Do you love Jesus in the same manner that Joseph did? Do you know Jesus as your Savior?

Suggested Direction for Prayer:
God, thank you for sending Jesus to be born in human form, to die for my sins, to be buried in a tomb, and to rise from the tomb on the third day! Thanks for your love of all sinners such as me!

New Site

2010-04-02T11:53:00.001-04:00

Hey, thanks for visiting, but from now on I'll be blogging from joshviamusic.com. Blessings. .josh.

Passion Week - The Crucifixion

2010-04-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

Passion Week

Day Six - Friday

Scripture Passage: Matthew 27:32-55

Parallel Passages in other Gospels for further reading: Mark 15:16-41;

Luke 23:26-49; John 19:17-30

The Crucifixion

³²As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. ³³They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). ³⁴There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^[^a^] ³⁶And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. ³⁷Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ³⁸Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" ⁴¹In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴²"He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' " ⁴⁴In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. ⁴⁵From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. ⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,^[^b^] lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"^[^c^]

⁴⁷When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."

⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him." ⁵⁰And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. ⁵¹At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. ⁵²The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

⁵⁴When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son^[^d^] of God!" ⁵⁵Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.

Thoughts from Lisa Bauer:

I can’t help it! Every time I see a play, hear a song, watch the movie, “Passion”, see the symbols of his crucifixion-the nail, the thorns, hear the message, “Jesus died for Me” I tear up and cry. For goodness sake, I’m doing it now writing this devotional as I think of Jesus, who He is, how He came, how He lived, “sinless” and all for one purpose only to sacrifice Himself in the ultimate sacrifice, to die that I might live. Whew.... simply amazing!

In reading these passages that tell us what happened that day, when “His hour had come”, I see even then, how different people who were present fully witnessing the events at hand, responded in such different ways. The random man, Simon, picked from the crowd and told to carry His cross, never refused, he willingly, quietly picked up the cross on his shoulders and carried it to Calvary. The person who saw that Jesus was thirsty, and graciously served him a drink. The soldiers who mocked him and gambled for his clothes. The robbers, hanging on a cross facing their eminent death and yet one mocked him, the other became aware of who Jesus really was and the relationship of sin in his own life compared to the One who knew no sin and asked that he be remembered. The chief priest, religious leaders, elders all who claimed to know God, yet mocked and spit, not recognizing the true God right before their eyes. Many others who quietly stood by, who knew Him, loved Him, followed Him watched their Lord, Friend, Healer, Comforter, Teacher lay Himself willingly on a cross to die, knowing He could save Himself, He could have called 10,000 angels and yet He didn’t. Why? Because He loved them, He loves me, He loves you. As the verse said, “He gave up His Spirit”, He did it, He willingly fulfilled the payment for my sin. HE sacrificed it all that I could live.

In the last year or so, my husband and I have witnessed many wonderful couples facing difficulty in their marriage for various reasons and circumstances, but troubles all the same. Each time we become aware of another rocky marriage, we realize how thankful we are for what God has given us. Recently, my husband asked the question, “Why do you think our marriage works?” Without hesitation, my immediate response to him was,” you are so unselfish, you give of yourself, even in the smallest of ways, sacrificing that me and our children can live well because you love us so much.”

Jesus gave it all, unselfishly gave His body, mind and spirit, to pay for our sins that we could live well because HE loves us so much.

Some questions to think about:

Who do you say Jesus is? Do you recognize Him for who HE really is? If you were in the crowd that day, what would you have been doing? Were you the one serving Him? Were you mocking Him? Were you quietly standing by, doing nothing? Did you carry the cross? How will you respond to Him when you’re called? Will you reject Him or will you in faithful obedience, say YES? It’s your choice.

Suggested Direction for Prayer:

Jesus, I realize who you really are, the Son of God. You came that I could know who I am and how to live. I know that I’m a sinner and that there is a debt that is owed for my sin. You died, shedding your blood that I could be forgiven. Jesus, forgive me of my sin that I may live for you. Thank you for being so unselfish, sacrificing your life so that I may live life well for your glory.

Passion Week - Jesus Before Pilate

2010-04-01T06:00:00.000-04:00

Passion Week

Day Five - Thursday

Scripture Passage: Luke 23:1-25

Parallel Passages in other Gospels for further reading: Matthew 27:11-26, Mark 15:1-15, John 18:28 - 19:16

Jesus Before Pilate

1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.” 3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. 4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” 5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” 6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends–before this they had been enemies. 13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” 18 With one voice they cried out, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) 20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” 22 For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.” 23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Thoughts from Aaron Bauer:

I grew up loving movies, and not just movies but the process behind which they are made. I like the elements of story and it’s always interesting when a story doesn’t meet an audience’s expectations. Take any number of franchise films like Star Wars, Harry Potter, or even the TV show LOST. When fans are displeased, you will usually find edited versions online of what someone thought it should have been. They like their version of it better than what the directors, actors, writers wrote as the truth of the series.

Here we see Jesus accused of being exactly who He said He was. Yet, He’s not the version of the Messiah they had hoped for. They wanted someone who would conform to their standard. He couldn’t. He came with a mission. What I love about this passage is that the last line kind of sums it up. In verse 25, we read, “and [Pilate] surrendered Jesus to their will.” Isn’t that the opposite of what we say we should do? We know that we should surrender to God’s will, and yet here, the Son of God is being handed over to this mob, who are angered, upset, and maybe disappointed that Jesus wasn’t all that they thought He should be.

Jesus encounters Pilate, and even though he knows in his heart and in his mind that Jesus is innocent, he makes the Christ a criminal, giving Him over to the executioners. Jesus then stands before Herod. Herod has his own idea of who Jesus should be. Jesus should be a miracle worker, a rainmaker of sorts, and when Jesus doesn’t deliver, he goes as far as to play dress up with the Son of God, mocking Him with royal robes.

And as Jesus looked at this mob of people, He had compassion for them. He loved them – so much He was willing to die for them. They didn’t understand. But soon, they would.

Some questions to think about:

What version of Jesus have I made for myself that maybe is different from the TRUE Jesus, the savior of my life? Have I played dress-up with Jesus, expecting Him to do what I want, rather than seeking to know Him? Do I get upset, frustrated, or angry when He doesn’t deliver what I am asking Him for? Am I surrendered to His will, or do I want Him to surrender to mine?

Suggested Direction for Prayer:

Jesus, you are the truth. When I question what truth is, You are the only answer. Forgive me for the times when I conform You to my standard instead of truly seeking to know Your heart. Father, help me to pray with Jesus, “not my will be done, but Yours.” Thank you for the love and compassion you show me, and for giving me new life in Jesus, so I can trust You completely.”

The Ministry of Preparation

2010-03-31T15:33:00.001-04:00

Preparation. Every job requires it. Every boss expects it. Most everything in life depends upon it in order for things to run smoothly and properly. How much more should preparation be a part of the regular diet of followers of Christ, especially in terms of our service to a local church? I mean, we’re a part of something with eternal consequences. You wouldn’t show up for a lunch meeting with an important CEO unprepared. Nor should we show up to serve at our local church unprepared. Every weekend we’re waging war with a very real enemy for the souls of men and women who are hanging in the balance—men and women who have come to our church very possibly for the first time, expecting, hoping, longing to experience something genuine, real, authentic, and life-changing. No, perhaps they wouldn’t communicate their need that way (or maybe they would), but that’s really what their soul craves for.

It’s for this very reason that my brother Smooth, often reiterates to his team of volunteers that our goal is to eliminate as many distractions as possible. Because let’s face it: You may only get one shot with someone. Prime example: This Sunday is Easter. For many of those who will step foot in our church buildings, this will be the only time for the rest of the year that they come to church. So, we’ve got one shot. Not to impress. Not to put on a great show. But one shot to help eliminate as many distractions as possible to help point them to a relationship with their Creator God, Jesus Christ.

So, let me make my plea as a worship leader. Dudes and dudets in the praise band, when the weekend rolls around, you need to come as prepared as you possibly can—like you’re about to play for Simon Cowell. Only … you’re playing for Jesus Christ, so maybe even more prepared, eh? Memorize your music. Get it into your soul, so that when you’re on stage, you can let loose and not be bound to a sheet of paper. And let me tell you, as a worship leader, there’s no greater feeling of freedom to be able to lead your people, than when the band behind you is playing their supporting roll in the best possible way they can. The worship leader is then completely freed up to be able to focus on what the Holy Spirit is doing in the hearts of the congregation. On the other hand, when the band comes unprepared, the amount of energy it takes for the worship leader to try to correct mistakes and salvage the pieces is incredibly draining—to the point that the worship leading suffers. And again, we’re trying to eliminate as many distractions as possible for the sake of reaching lost men and women with the Gospel. So, please, don’t bring unnecessary stress on your worship leader by coming unprepared.

Tech crew, know what your cues are. Know when the lights need to dim. Know when the sound is too loud, or too soft, or when a guitar is too shrill. Know when a vocalist needs less cutting through the mix. Know when the camera needs to pan. Know when the stage needs to be well-lit, or less lit, etc. Take some initiative to prepare yourself. Most of the time, it’s the atmosphere itself that can be the defining factor in whether a person returns the next week to hear more of the life-changing Gospel message. Again, it’s not about perfection for the sake of it, it’s about eliminating as many distractions as possible, and creating an environment where the Holy Spirit is welcome and where people can connect with the Living God.

Now, I want to be fair here, but I don’t want to undermine everything I just said. There is a very real temptation to rely so heavily on our human devices, resources, cleverness, and efforts of persuasion that we completely stifle the work of the Holy Spirit among us. That is a fact. We can be so clever with our techniques, that we squash the working of the Holy Spirit. And that is a very real danger. However, there is a danger on both sides. We can also be so “Spirit-led” that we show up not knowing what songs we’re singing or what sermon we’re preaching because “we’re going to let the Spirit lead as He may.” No. That’s just plain laziness and stupidity. In fact, I had a seminary professor (one who was very in touch with the Spirit I might add) who posed a question in class one day. “Can’t the Holy Spirit guide you in your preparation just as much as He can in the moment?” he rhetorically asked. His point was well-received. Preparation is a ministry. Preparation involves hearing from the Spirit throughout the week—for the process of series-planning—for the planning of the worship—for the small group curriculum—for the children’s ministry lessons—etc. … you get the point.

Bottom line? Be in tune with the Spirit in your preparation. And you’ll be surprised at just how freeing it is, and how the distractions that were once present and stifling will begin to be eliminated as we work together as His body.

Passion Week - Questions and Denial

2010-03-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

Passion Week

Day Four - Wednesday

Scripture Passage: John 18:12-27

Parallel Passages in other Gospels for further reading: Matthew 26:26-56, Mark 14:12-52, Luke 22:14-53

Questions and Denial

Thoughts from Jimmy Carroll:
It is one thing to have someone disagree with you or misunderstand your intentions or actions. It is frustrating and disappointing but in the end, you move on because you know who you are and what you are all about. It is a completely different thing to have a trusted friend who knows you, betray you. This can bring feelings of loneliness, abandonment or discouragement.

Jesus had been traveling for three years, telling anyone who would listen, who He was and what He was all about. He never tried to hide His identity or His mission. After three years of proclaiming and proving Himself as the Jewish Messiah and as the Son of God, the religious leaders still did not believe or accept Him. Of course, He knew how He would be received and yet, I think that He still felt the frustration and disappointment. Peter is a whole different story. This was the disciple that was always first to speak and act. He was the one who said, “I will follow you anywhere…I would lay down my life for you”. He was more than a follower of Jesus, he was a friend to Jesus. Again, even though Jesus knew and even predicted Peter’s repeated denials, it must have hurt Him deeply. Could Jesus hear Peter denying Him right outside the door or did He just know it was happening? Could He even focus on the accusations of the ones who did not accept Him or was He consumed with sorrow over being betrayed by a friend just a few feet away? This was not the first time that Jesus had felt pain or sorrow but it had to rank at the top of those experiences. The sound of the rooster signaled the fulfillment of a prophecy and the beginning of what would be a painful and lonely weekend for Jesus.

Some questions to think about:
Who was Jesus and why did He come? Do you know His mission and purpose? Have you ever accepted Him as your Lord? Have you ever denied Him with your life or actions? Like Peter, you can repent and be restored – What is keeping you from following Jesus with your whole life?

Suggested Direction for Prayer:
God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that you allowed Him to endure hurt and disappointment and even death for me. He willingly endured this and laid down His life to bring me to you. Please, convict me if I ever misrepresent or mistreat Him with my words or actions. I want to honor you and I surrender my whole life to you now and forever.

Passion Week - The Last Supper

2010-03-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Passion Week

Day Three - Tuesday

Scripture Passage: Luke 22:14-53

Parallel passages for further reading: Matthew 26:26-56; Mark 14:12-52; John 13:1-38

The Last Supper

¹⁴When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. ¹⁵And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." ¹⁷After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. ¹⁸For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." ¹⁹And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."²⁰In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. ³³But he (Peter) replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." ³⁴Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today,

you will deny three times that you know me."

Thoughts from Josh Via - “Seeing, But Not Perceiving”

Do you remember those 3-D images that were really popular in the mid-90s? You know the ones. Every mall in America proudly displayed them in their center kiosks to attract would-be suckers, I mean, shoppers. These “works of art” (a term I use loosely) portrayed one image on the surface, but (supposedly) as one would peer through the picture with glazed eyes, a new 3-D image would begin to creep forward into one’s immediate field of vision, while the original image would remain foggy. I remember staring at these images, one after another, with no such success. My three brothers would ooh and aah about the images that were tickling their corneas, while I stared at nothingness, all-the-while becoming increasingly frustrated, contemplating punches to the throats of my siblings. As I peered onward, I knew what I was supposed to be seeing, but it never became clear. I was looking directly at it, having no idea what it was. I was seeing, but not perceiving.

When I read this passage in Luke’s Gospel (and many like this throughout the Gospels), I get the sense that the disciples had a lot of this going on. They saw things, but they didn’t know exactly what they were seeing. They saw Jesus perform miracles. They saw Him heal the sick. Restore the blind. Feed 5,000 men with a child’s Lunchable. On and on and on. Yet, they had no idea what they were seeing. They saw, but didn’t perceive.

As Jesus broke the bread, passed the cup and talked about his impending death, I can imagine the disciples with a glazed look in their eyes, hearing Him speak, but not quite comprehending. In fact, Luke reveals their blindness by showing how they were concerned with all the wrong things, namely, who was the greatest among them (v.24). And on top of that, Peter made it abundantly clear that he was ready for battle (v.33). He was ready to fight the Roman hordes and help usher in Jesus’ earthly reign as the conquering Messiah—completely missing the point.

A few hours later, while Jesus is sweating drops of blood in earnest prayer on the Mount of Olives, we find His three closest disciples (Peter included) sleeping beneath the stars, clueless and blind to the spiritual battle taking place all around them as the Son of God prepares to carry the sin of an entire planet on His shoulders. But this is the moment for which He had come. The moment where death, Hell and the grave would be defeated once for all. Praise God that the inability of His own disciples to see the reality and weightiness of the situation never deterred Christ from His ultimate objective—to put sin to death.

Some questions to think about:
When you think about Christ’s primary mission—to die for sin—is it a truth that has gripped your heart, or merely a fact without impact? How have you been guilty of seeing but not perceiving in terms of Christ’s sacrificial death for sin? Think about the last time you ate the Lord’s Supper. Did the full weight of Christ’s death hit you, or was it simply an activity on your checklist?

Suggested Direction for Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for suffering and dying for me. Open my eyes in a fresh way to see all that You have done for me. Remove my blindness that I may see You in all Your glory—Your past, present and future glory. Amen.

Passion Week - The Anointing and Betrayal

2010-03-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

Passion Week
Day Two– Monday
Scripture Passage - Matthew 26:1-16
Parallel Passages in other Gospels for further reading: Mark 14:1-11, Luke 22:1-6, John 13:1,2

The Anointing and Betrayal of Jesus

1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 "As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." 3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 5 "But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people." 6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. 9 "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor." 10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." 14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Thoughts:
As I read this passage, I am amazed by the different contrasts that I see. Evil and deceitful men (who were supposed to be God's representatives to his people) are meeting in a glorious palace plotting some “sly way” to arrest and kill the very King of Glory, God himself. They elevated themselves above all others and considered themselves all-important. They even assumed the role of God by making themselves deciders of life and death. Meanwhile, the only good and perfect man whoever lived, the King of Glory himself is found in the most lowly conditions possible. He's in the home of a leper, an outcast of society. As God, he alone is the decider of life and death, and yet he has already surrendered his life to be killed (“she did it to prepare me for burial”).

Then there is the scene that unfolds in Simon the Leper's home. Mary comes and anoints Jesus with “very expensive perfume.” Scholars tell us that this jar of perfume is worth the equivalent of more than $12,000 today. More than likely, she saved up her whole life for this gift, and it was gone in just one moment. And yet she couldn't comprehend a better way to spend it than to honor her Lord. The disciples, however, couldn't disagree more. They called her gift a “waste.” You can almost hear the disdain in their voices. These are the guys who are supposed to be the closest and most devoted to Jesus, and yet they called this gift to Jesus a waste.

Apparently, this was the last straw for Judas who went to inquire from the Chief Priest, what price they had placed on Jesus' head, and he accepted 30 pieces of silver. While for Mary no amount was too large when it came to honoring her Savior, for Judas apparently there was no amount too small when it came to betraying the Messiah. For Jesus, there was no price to high when it came to redeeming his people.

Some questions to think about:
Do you elevate yourself above others because of some arbitrary position or status you hold? Do you find it hard to live out the humility that Jesus modeled for us? Is there anything that you wouldn't give Jesus? Is there any price too high that you would be unwilling to pay? Think about what Jesus did for you. Are there any lengths to which he wouldn't go to save you? Is there something God is calling you to give or sacrifice in honor of Jesus this Easter season?

Suggested Direction for Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for what you have done for me. Thank you that there was no price to high when it came to saving me. This Easter season, please teach me your humility. Jesus, take all of my heart. I commit my everything to you. May there be nothing that I wouldn't do for you. Speak and I will obey.

Passion Week - Triumphal Entry

2010-03-28T06:00:00.004-04:00

Starting today, I'm going to post a new devotional thought each day at 6:00 AM leading up to Easter Sunday. The pastoral staff at Journey have come together to write a week's worth of devotional material for our church to meditate on throughout this Passion Week. You can also check out journeydevotionals.com and read them there as well. So, here we go. Let's do this.

Passion Week

Day One – Sunday
Scripture Passage - Matthew 21:1-11
Parallel Passages in other Gospels for further reading: Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:28-40, John 12:12-26

The Triumphal Entry

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once." 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5"Say to the daughter of Zion,'Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting,"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole
city was stirred up, saying, "Who is this?" 11 And the crowds said,
"This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee."

Thoughts from Paul Crouthamel:
About a year ago, I flew into San Diego at about 9:00pm on a Thursday night. A friend picked me up and thought it would be great to grab a bite downtown so we headed that way. Upon our arrival we were blown away by the enormous crowd. There weren’t any parking places, restaurants were jammed, people were celebrating, it was loud, and the place was buzzing. It was crazy.

As I read the above text of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before His death on the cross (commonly referred to as Palm Sunday), I thought about Jerusalem being like that scene in San Diego. Jerusalem must have been similar to that, buzzing with activity, crowds, laughter, people eating and enjoying each other’s company, loud with celebration. In fact, it was that way every year as the jewish people celebrated Passover. It was and is imbedded in Jewish culture as the time they celebrate God’s deliverance of their people from slavery in Egypt. People from all over the surrounding areas had made the special trip to Jerusalem to celebrate and into this setting Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He not only had a crowd of followers with Him, many met Him on the way into Jerusalem because they heard He was coming and many heard He had recently raised a man named Lazarus from the dead. “Who is this man?” was the question by onlookers. The week ahead would soon reveal, He was more than just a man.

The more I thought about the scene, the more I thought about the people of the scene. There were true followers of Jesus in the crowd of people, but there were a lot of others. There were those that were in town because of tradition, there were those wondering who this guy Jesus was, and there were those who knew who He was and hated Him.

Some questions to think about:
When this week comes around each year, is it just another week for you? If you were in the crowd that Sunday, what would you have been doing? Laying your coat down on the path in honor of Jesus, praising Him? Standing in the background trying to figure out who this man was? Simply following tradition, celebrating and missing the whole event?

Suggested Direction for Prayer:
God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for sending Him to rescue me from my sin. Help me to understand in a new and fresh way the week the Passion Week and the amazing love Jesus demonstrated for me through His death, burial, and resurrection. Then, help me not to be an innocent bystander this week, help me live my live in praise and honor to Him, who loved me and gave himself for me.

New Journey Worship Space

2010-03-25T10:10:00.001-04:00

The renovation of the new Journey worship space is coming along quite nicely. Rob Wetzel and his team are killing it over there. Come on out this Friday and Saturday from 9-5 if you have a chance, and come get your hands dirty.

IKEA man

2010-03-24T12:05:00.000-04:00

Found this guy snoozing it up in the IKEA cafeteria a few weeks ago. I had a flashforward of what my IKEA experience will be in 30 years ... err ... not even that long.

8 Years

2010-03-23T22:39:00.004-04:00

Today Tasha and I celebrated 8 years of marriage. Where in the world has the time gone? It's been a very relaxing couple of days here at Kure Beach, NC. We were incredibly blessed to be able to get this place "rent free" so to speak.

Check out Tasha's blog to see some shots of this ridiculous house!

Eight years ago, I said "I Do" to my best friend, Tasha Joy Litke. And I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. I'm excited about the next 8 years and to see where we'll be. I love you, my dear Tasha Joy. Thanks for taking a chance on me!

Live Love Richmond

2010-03-20T09:26:00.009-04:00

We had a great weekend in Richmond at Parkway Baptist Church. This was my first weekend to have the privilege of traveling with Dr. Alvin Reid, Professor of Evangelism at Southeastern Seminary. Dr. Reid and I had some great fellowship on the drive home from Richmond. That guy is a wealth of knowledge and passion for Christ all wrapped up into one ADD energy ball and I was blessed to soak it up like a sponge for a few hours in the car.

Parkway launched as a church-plant back in 2002 with 12 families. Now they are running over 700 on the weekends and are doing a killer job of reaching west Richmond with the Gospel. Pastor Brian Autry has a tremendous heart for Christ and to see his community reached with the Gospel.

On Friday night, three young teenage girls committed their lives to Christ after Dr. Reid gave the students an opportunity to receive Christ. It was an incredible moment. One of the girls shot her hand up as a sign of her commitment to follow Christ before Dr. Reid even had time to ask. She was pumped up and ready to charge hell with a water gun.

The theme of the weekend was "Live Love Richmond," with the emphasis on being intentionally missional in the city of Richmond. So on Saturday afternoon, with Student Pastor Mike Camire at the helm, the students went out into the city of Richmond and performed various service projects such as raking leaves for the elderly, collecting canned goods for the local food bank, passing out bottles of water in the name of Christ in local parks and much more. Check out all the canned goods these guys collected!

It was a blast to share the stage with Josh Reid (drums) and Ben Nieman (bass). These two guys have a tremendous love for Christ and it's always a blessing to worship with them.

Songs throughout the weekend:

1. The Time Has Come (H.S.)

2. Glory to God Forever (Fee)

3. From the Inside Out (H.S.)

4. The Wonder of This Sight (Via's)

5. Amazing Grace/Chains 'R Gone (Tomlin)

6. God of This City (BlueTree version)

7. Marvelous Light (Hall)

8. O, Praise Him (Crowder)

9. No One Higher/The Stand (Fee/H.S.)

10. The Solid Rock (Charlie Hall version)

11. Send Us Out (Via's)

12. Mighty to Save

Takeaways from Dead Preachers: Adrian Rogers

2010-03-17T16:12:00.003-04:00

I listened to a little Adrian Rogers today on my jog--a sermon called "It's Decision That Determines Destiny." A killer reminder of the importance of our decisions. Rogers, who went to be with Jesus back in 2005, brought a great message from the first chapter of Ruth. Here are a few highlights:

1. The Principle of Willing Choice

You are free to choose
You are not free not to choose
You are not free to choose the consequences of your choice
One big choice takes care of a lot of little choices

2. The Problems of a Wicked Choice

Elimelech made a wicked choice. He got out of the will of God by going over to the land of Moab.

He had the wrong motive - He went for material gain--for bread.
What motivated his life was what buttered his bread.
Faith is believing God in spite of appearances and obeying God in spite of consequences.

Ruth is a beautiful example of a life that God made completely new. A new creation.

Marks of a new creation:

She had a new determination ("entreat me not to leave you")
She had a new dependences ("where you go, I will go")
She had a new desire ("your people shall be my people")
She had a new devotion ("your God shall be my God")

3.14.10

2010-03-14T22:41:00.002-04:00

Great kickoff to the new Journey Church series "Forgotten God"--a series on the Holy Spirit. It's gonna be a killer series. One of the best highlights of Pastor Jimmy's message:

The Holy Spirit is a person, not a thing. So, you don't receive Him in installments!

We worshiped to:

1. Freedom is Here (Hillsong)

2. Let Praise Be Heard (Journey Worship)

3. Fall in This Place (Planetshakers)

4. Sweep Me Away (Charlie Hall)

Self-Righteousness: The Silent Killer

2010-03-10T17:28:00.004-05:00

"But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God." - Luke 11:42

Growing up in a pastor's home makes self-righteousness one of the easiest silent sins that a pastor's kid can come by. It's deadly. It's a killer.

A few weeks ago in our small group, we went around the room sharing with each other what Christ saved us from--what our life was like before we came to Christ, and how it is different after coming to saving faith in Him. My testimony is one of those that usually starts out like this:

"I grew up in a Christian home and was saved at a very early age. And there's not really a whole lot of bad stuff you can do when you're 7."

That's how I used to think about my testimony. I even verbalized it that way on many occasions. But it was in that moment of sharing with my small group that the light came on. The Lord began to reveal to me the depth of my depravity in terms of self-righteousness. And He showed me that I must consistently fight this beast within.

As a kid, I was so good at pointing the finger at other people (mostly figuratively and internally, but I had my moments) that I was oblivious to the four bloody fingers dripping of self-righteousness that were pointing right back at me. I was the kind of person that Christ constantly referred to as the "hypocrite." I was a Pharisee of a new day. Not the kind that wore long robes and turbans. No, my attire was more pristine, consisting of tight crotch-hugging jeans, salmon-colored Disney t-shirts three sizes too large, and an immovable hair-sprayed due with the Zack Morris wave providing a wall of protection around my skull.

Religiosity and pharisaism was my deal. It was everything to me. I snubbed the down-and-out and less fortunate. I secretly criticized the "sinner" and thanked God that I was not like them. And yet, the whole time I was building up walls between myself and God. I had complete disregard for justice and the love of God. So much so that I had blinded myself to the blackness on the inside. I was just as wicked ... maybe more than those I considered to be far from God.

But thanks to the incredible grace of God, I am not what I used to be. Though the struggle of pharisaism is constant and continuous, I am grateful for His grace that is forever faithful, forever constant, and forever jealous for my love, affection and solidarity.

Christ has redeemed me from self-righteousness. What has He redeemed you from?

Weekend in Greenwood

2010-03-08T09:56:00.007-05:00

We had an amazing weekend in Greenwood, SC at Northside Baptist Church with my good friend Travis Agnew, the worship pastor. Tasha and I met Travis while we were in college at North Greenville, and I knew from Day 1 that this guy was a man after God's heart. He's one of the smartest, most talented, and most creative guys on the planet. And yet he's also one of the most humble guys you'll ever meet.

(Go check out Travis' book Freshman 15 and his amazing worship CDs. Order some for yourself and your friends. Not only will you be blessed, but it will help Travis and his wife with the cost of their adoption. They are adopting a little 2-year-old boy from Ethiopia. And they could really use your support!)

We were privileged when he gave us an invite last Fall to be a part of their student ministry D-Now weekend and then to lead worship for their Sunday AM services.

By all accounts, you would think Northside to be a fairly young church, with their state-of-the-art facilities and excellence in harnessing media for the purpose of advancing the Gospel. But Northside is an older established church. They're just one of the few in the U.S. who are not content with business as usual. They are reaching people with the life-changing message of the Gospel, without watering it down in the least bit. Pastor Jeff Lethco, who's been there for around 11 years, preaches the Word passionately and without apology. Yesterday he began a new series called "Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood?"--a series about evangelism in the 21st century.

It was a blessing to experience what God is doing at Northside. Thanks for the invite guys.

We worshiped to:

1. O For 1000 Tongues - Crowder

2. Everlasting God - Lincoln Brewster

3. God Be Praised - Via's

4. Jesus Messiah - Tomlin

5. King on His Way - Via's

Call for Prayer

2010-03-05T08:32:00.001-05:00

Pray for my dad this week. He's somewhere in the middle east (I can't disclose exactly where) preaching the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray that hearts would be open and receptive to gospel, that the Holy Spirit would begin to soften hearts and that dad will have many great conversations with these dear people who need to hear the truth about Jesus.

Funeral Doves

2010-03-04T09:08:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, my brother Smooth and I drove up to Roanoke, VA to meet the rest of our family where we celebrated the life of my great aunt Elsie Mae Adams. She passed away exactly three weeks after her husband, my uncle Mayo, went home to be with Jesus. At the funeral, we released two doves, signifying their release from these earthly bodies and the immeasurable joy they are experiencing with their Lord and with each other in heaven.

T. Agnew

2010-03-04T08:19:00.003-05:00

Today begins another weekend on the road. We are headed down to Greenwood, SC for a Disciple Now event with my good friend Travis Agnew, the worship pastor at Northside Baptist Church. Travis has been serving in one form or fashion at Northside ever since I can remember. I met Travis back in 1999 at North Greenville College where we played in the BSU praise band together. Many weekends during our college experience I would ride down to Greenwood for the weekend with Travis and watch him as he faithfully served in the student ministry at Northside. His love for his church, his pastor, and his hometown is rare and incredibly commendable in these times of transiency, restlessness, and inconsistency. Tasha and I are pumped to minister together with our good friend this weekend. Pray for the students that we'll be serving, that Christ will be exalted in their hearts and that in our midst there will be many who fall on their face proclaiming, "Surely God is in this place."

2.28.10

2010-03-01T17:22:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we continued our Testify series at Journey Church. Our tech team has put together some ridiculous testimony videos of ordinary folks in our church who have told their extraordinary accounts of God's faithfulness in their lives. Check out the sermon videos (in HD) and see what God is doing.

The music side of our worship consisted of:

1. I'm Not Ashamed (HS)

2. Freedom is Here (HS United)

3. How He Loves (McMillan, Kim Walker version)