the Resurrection in images and sounds

The Resurrection is not an event...

the Resurrection is a Person.

This past weekend allowed me the chance to realize that through some images and sounds that personalized my journey with God. I offer them here to give you that same opportunity.

Video 1: Something I found.

• Thought: Jesus could have received all the praise He deserved. Instead, He took on our all the condemnation we deserved... not just once, but again and again - even as we pridefully try to presume He can stop. For this, He becomes like a criminal... so we can become free.

Video 2: Something I assembled.  

• Thought: The Resurrection isn't what it is without the Cross. The Cross isn't what it is without the Resurrection. We are not who we really are unless we really have both. Don't just celebrate this - choose to experience it. 

Video 3: Something I said.  

• Thought: I was unexpectedly ministered by this - it involved listening to something I didn't plan on saying today in service, yet apparently said. A friend of mine caught it and put this together. In the event God wants to use this to speak to you as He did me when I listened to it (which is ironic, I know)... here it is.

Don't just celebrate the Resurrection. Experience it. Integrate it.

Because the Resurrection isn't an event. The Resurrection is a Person.

Jesus said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

you asked for it: lost language

Lisa "The Momma" wondered two things:

1. What do you think of the statment, "Don't say that out loud, the devil may hear?"
2. What did you think of the season finale of LOST (season 3) and are you still loving the show? (PS -- I continue to think it is that BEST-SHOW-ON-TV-EVER. :)

Wow... quite the spectrum of Q&A there, Lisa. :)

1) First off, I've found that a measure of respect of anything supernatural is healthy. It's odd that Americans (compared to other countries) are so sarcastic in our comedy when it comes to poking fun of God or the devil. While scenes like the dinner table prayer in Talladega Nights make me laugh, I wonder if somewhere in our attempt to muse about our own hypocrisy we lose a little bit of respect for God in the process.

Somewhere along the way we forget how powerful God is and whatever He has allowed satan to maintain as well... often we reduce satan to a red horned halloween costume or pay money to see the latest horror flick and assume its evil has no effect on us.

On the other side of this, sometimes we give way too much worry to the power satan has. Make no mistake, he is capable of things that we should take note of, but compared to God he is a wimp. To hear some Christians talk, you would think the devil is bigger than the Creator and we should constantly be looking for the evil one behind every bush. Some speak of him with a whisper because they're afraid he might hear them, get angry, and mess with their world.

Why? If we are in Christ, Christ is in us... we don't do the fighting, but join the already-established-ultimate-winner in defeating the enemy. It's like if the Chicago Bulls (during the Jordan years) asked me to join them in playing a game of basketball against a team of junior-highers. Why shouldn't the devil hear that God's "got game" in my life? The devil doesn't have authority over me any more than I let him... and I don't think I'll let him, thank you.

2) I really enjoyed the finale last season and look forward to the 8 shows they've finished before the writer's strike. Hopefully they'll finish the rest, too... we'll see. It's always been nice that you could pick up the new season where the last one left off... season 1: looking down a hatch; season 2: heroes get taken away; but now we don't know what time era the next season will begin in... crazy.

• Check out this if you haven't: http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/missingpieces/



• And the new season trailer is online... I haven't looked for it because I don't want to know anything about it. ;)