THE CRUSHED LAMB

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

‘Look, the Lamb of God,  who takes away the sin of the world!’”

John 1:29

On the yard of a little church in a small German town stands a statue of a lamb. At the base of the statue  there is a simple inscription that reads: MEMORIAL TO THE CRUSHED LAMB.

After World War II, a group of men began working on the tall roof of the church to repair damages sustained during the fierce battles that took place nearby. One of the dedicated workmen lost his footing, tripped and fell off the roof, plummeting to the earth below.

Quickly, the other men raced down the long latter with very little hope of finding their friend alive. As they descended they began shouting to the other nearby people of the village to come and help. Though deep in their hearts, they knew there was little that could be done. It was a terribly long fall and only a miracle could save the man from being killed on the hard ground

Finally reaching him, the men found their companion moaning and in pain, but very much alive.

Then they realized the man was lying on top of something, as though he had fallen onto a strange cushion. When they lifted the man to his feet, they understood immediately what had occurred. A lamb had been feeding on the grass at the wall of the church. The poor little lamb had broken the man’s fall and saved his life, but lost its own in the process.

He was so grateful that he had the statue of a lamb erected in the very place where he fell.

Take a moment and think about this little lamb. How something so gentle and kind was sacrificed to save the man’s life. Isn’t it strange how we feel such compassion for soft, furry animals? I can just picture the tiny creature lying peacefully on the grass, his eyes closed for the last time.

If your heart is touched by this story and the image of the crushed lamb, will you not also be touched by the image of our Savior Jesus? When you think of Christ being lowered from the Cross, does your heart not ache in the same way. Are you not grateful for the miraculous way in which His death saved your fall?

You may not be able to erect a statue in honor of the sacrifice He made for you, but isn’t it time to build a place of honor in your heart?

The next time you take communion, remember the Crushed Lamb and where you might be had He not broken your fall. Remember, you are in the presence of Jesus, the One who saved you. And if we can feel such loving compassion for the little lamb at the church, then certainly our hearts can be filled with love for the Lamb of God.

This week’s prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for the Cross. Without your sacrifice I would be falling to my death right now. Because of your love I have nothing to fear, not even death itself. Please remind me of your love every day of my life. Let me never forget what you have done for me. Guide me and strengthen me so that I may also be a living sacrifice whenever and wherever you may need me. Amen.

YOU ARE AMAZING. HERE'S WHY . . .

"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 

"I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

Luke 7:9

The Roman soldier was one of the most powerful men in all of Israel. He loved its nation and its people, so much so that he had built their synagogue for them. He was considered a good and deserving man by the people and when his beloved servant became ill, he called upon Jesus for help.

Yet, he was a Roman Centurion. He represented the occupation army that controlled Israel and its people. His armies ruled with brutality and force.

Though his faith in Jesus compelled him, he dared not approach the Savior personally. Yes, the people considered him worthy. Yes, Jesus was going to see him. That did not matter to the great Centurion. His humility demanded that he make his request through his friends.

So, they ran out to meet Jesus before He reached the Centurion’s house. They told him exactly what the Centurion wanted to say, but could not bring himself to tell Jesus in person. “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

And Jesus was amazed at him! The only verse in Scripture where God is amazed by a single human response is found in this story. He was amazed because he knew this Roman believed that whatever Jesus said would be carried out. His faith was absolute and the servant was healed.

Yet, when Jesus returns to his hometown, he is amazed by faith again. Not by the great faith of a single man, but by the lack of faith of the entire community. They listen to Him teach and merely pass Him off as the neighbor’s insignificant son, not giving any consideration at all to His words. Because of their lack of faith, we know that Jesus could not do any miracles there except to heal a few people. His actions were diminished because the people did not believe.

How are you going to react to the promises of Jesus? Like the Roman Centurion or his neighbors growing up.

How are you going to amaze God today? Like the Centurion or like his neighbors? If you amaze God, will it be through your incredible faith in His love and devotion to you? Or will He be amazed because He wants you to inherit His Kingdom, yet you do not believe one word from His mouth?

Yes, you are amazing to God! And if you want His healing power to flow through your life, it must be invited through your faith!

This week’s prayer

Dear Lord, you are the source of all good things in my life. Without you I am lost in the wilderness, alone. Yet, I know you are here to rescue me. I know you will never leave my side. I know you love me and will always care for me even into eternity. Please guide me so that my faith in you will increase and that your presence in my life will become closer every day. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

I AM NOT LEAVING YOU

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

Late in the evening of September 11, 2001 a lone US Marine was searching through the rubble at Ground Zero. Hours before, Sergeant Karnes was a senior accountant with Deloitte & Touche in Wilton, Connecticut. As soon as he heard about the attacks on the World Trade Center, he rushed home to change into his Marine Corps camouflage uniform. Then he drove to church and asked the pastor and parishioners to say a prayer that God would lead him to survivors. Then he drove to Manhattan.

US Marine Staff Sergeant David Karnes

As we see his search portrayed in the movie, World Trade Center, Karnes bypasses the other rescuers who had called off the search for survivors until the light of day. Holding his flashlight amidst the acres of debris he comes across another man searching in the darkness, Sergeant Thomas. Together, they set out to find lost souls buried beneath them. Suddenly, Sergeant Karnes stops and looks back over his shoulder. He knows they are not supposed to be there and may be forced to leave by the authorities who considered searching at that time to be too dangerous. With a strong voice he commands Thomas, “We’re not going back. If someone tells us to stop, we don’t hear them. We are NOT going back.” 

So they continue on through the night calling out for survivors. Finally, they hear the voices of two Port Authority Policemen trapped deep below. He calls out to them and the officers plead with him to help. One of them says, “Please don't leave us. I’m Officer Jimeno, I have a little girl and another on the way. And Sergeant McLoughlin is down here, he has four kids. Please don't leave us!"

On his knees, peering into the hole, Staff Sergeant David Karnes bellows, "Buddy, I am not leaving you. YOU are our mission."

After notifying rescuers, Karnes and Thomas stay with the trapped men, even going with them to the hospital after they are dug out.

This one simple, heroic story illustrates everything we are to do in Christ. As followers of Jesus, our mission is to find people buried in the rubble of life. We keep going even through the darkness of night. As a church, we do not go back. Even if others tell us to stop, we never give up and go back. We go forward no matter what because God has called us to the rescue! Finally, when the lost are found, we show them that the love of our Lord is real and that He will never leave them.

This week you will no doubt hear of someone who needs to be rescued. They may be trapped in a pit of despair, buried in grief or lost in the wreckage of their life. No matter what they are going through, you have the power and the mission to offer them a kind word, a prayer, or anything else that will show them they are not alone, they are not forgotten and that help is on the way.

This week’s prayer

Dear Jesus, I know you will need me in the days to come. Your children, my brothers and sisters, are hurting and lost all around me. Give me the strength and courage to go to them in their hour of need. Guide me when answering the call to bring your love to those who need it the most. And let me never forget that once I was lost, but now am found. In Jesus name, Amen.

YOU'RE EITHER WARM OR DEAD

It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday morning in New England. Late summer is especially kind to the coastline of Connecticut. The air isn’t heavy anymore. It’s bright and clear and fresh. It can dazzle your soul – if you’re outside.

I wasn’t. I had work to do.

Sitting on an old chair on the altar of an old church, I waited patiently for my turn to speak to the pleasant congregation before me. As they stared at the minister and then at the choir and then back at the minister, they surely wondered who I was. But, they knew the drill. After all, not everyone got to sit up there looking back at the people in the church. I must be somebody and they would find out sooner or later. Little did they know this is the only way I feel comfortable in a church, so my back isn’t to the door.

            It was about 45 minutes into the 8:00 o’clock morning worship service and things were going well so far. We were in the final stages of a very successful capital campaign for this exquisite colonial Church in Mystic, Connecticut. However, I had a challenge ahead of me. In front of me were a few hundred people in a town of several thousand who came to church on Sunday for no particular reason other than habit, tradition and socialization. Most were there because it was a very pleasant and proper thing to do on a nice Sunday morning. But, that mindset and the culture that propagated it were clearly not enough to keep this church alive and growing. For this place to become and remain a vibrant, influential element of this community, the way it had been for the first one hundred years of its history, the people were going to have to face the challenges ahead with a different attitude.

            If they didn’t, then this church, like thousands of others across America, was in trouble.

            Gazing out at the people, half listening to the announcement about the upcoming bake sale, I understood the pressure on me and the importance of the little talk I was about to give. The excellent people on the campaign committee were very clear about the points they wanted me to make. But, it was up to me as to how I would make the message powerful enough to stick. As I assessed the congregation that morning I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

The stakes were indeed high. This church had to move forward or it would wither on the vine. They could not stand still. Keeping the status quo wasn’t an option. The population of the church was aging and there would be no one left in a few years. If they didn’t start actively investing in the church right now, then its future would never be as bright as the magnificent skies outside.

            I said a quick prayer - yes, it had come to that - for God to guide me in my words.     

            “And now, I would like to introduce you to someone who has been working with our campaign committee for several months behind the scenes.” That was me. My turn at bat.

            I stood up and walked forward. I had made some quick notes on the church’s Sunday Bulletin. I held it in my hand. When I reached the podium I tucked the bulletin next to the Bible that was opened in front of me. The microphone waited for me to speak into it. I tried to remember what I had scribbled on the paper. Not a word came to me. Nothing. “Oh God,” I prayed silently, “please make this your message.” This prayer, while extremely helpful and effective, is also the last bastion of a desperate public speaker.

            Then, something occurred to me. I thought about what my friend Andre had said to me a few years ago. I was planning a January trip to Moscow for a ministry I was working with at the time. I finally reached him on the phone at his apartment near Red Square. “Hey, Andre, what kind of clothes should I wear in the winter in Russia? I don’t want to be cold,” I asked him. “No,” he said. “You are not cold in Russia in the winter. You are either warm or dead.”

            I knew exactly what he meant. Sometimes you can’t afford to be cold, to stay in one place or be stagnant. You either prepare for the cold, or you are dead from it. If you are not ready, if you are caught unprepared, then it’s already too late. The cold will kill you.

            You are either warm or dead.

“My father,” I began, “was a gunner in a B-29 in the Pacific during World War II.”

This is definitely not in my notes.

“My stepfather was B-24 pilot. My Pastor, a radio man in a B-17.”

I have no clue where this is going.

“My mother worked for the USO and in a factory in Hartford, making engine parts for airplanes.”

The only thing I knew after I said all this – because I certainly had no idea what I was going to say next – was that all the older people in the congregation were not only paying attention, they were smiling.

Okay, maybe I’m on to something here.

“I’m telling you this because I want to speak to those of you who are of their generation. I’m not excluding the rest of you. You can listen along. But, there is something I have to say especially to those of you who came of age when Franklin Roosevelt was President. You were raised in the Great Depression. It has always been hard for me to even comprehend the scope of that era. It was such a different world then. Perhaps it’s always hard for younger generations to find a point of reference or commonality with days past. It was difficult beyond anything that younger generations have ever known. That’s why I am always amazed at the fondness I hear in your voices when you talk about those days. Because every time you tell the stories, you speak with such longing. Yet, all those stories begin with the same phrase, ‘We had nothing.’

            “I don’t know what it is to have nothing. Or to live in a nation of people who all have nothing. You were children, of course, but you were growing up in smaller communities that looked after one another and supported each other. You knew your neighbors, they knew you. You went to church on Sundays and so did everyone else. You had each other to turn to in times of trouble. You were not isolated or alone, but a part of a great struggle to survive and make it through each day.      

            “Then, sixty years ago, began the greatest open conflict in the history of the world. You took the character and courage the Depression had given you and fought against the most powerful armies on earth. Now, please understand that not too many things really hold me in awe. But what you did during those years, well, I can’t even begin to express my amazement. It’s not an overstatement to say that you, all of you, men and women, saved the world.

            “Then, you came home. And you built everything. It was your generation that produced this modern nation. You started the businesses, invented the machines, built the roads, bridges, factories, and schools. Growing up, we just thought they had always been there. What did we know? But, it was you. All along, it was all of you.

            “It was you who had been molded as children during the Depression, put to the test as young people during World War II, and had the character to build a great nation as adults.

            “And now, I stand before you to tell you that I’m scared.”

I paused here because I was getting choked up. My stepfather had died two years earlier and I was thinking of him. He was the pilot I mentioned a few moments ago and everything I was saying now, was about him. His face was right in front of me.

“I’m scared, because we’re losing you. And God help us all when you’re gone.

            “You have watched how the world has changed. You have seen the worst and best of humanity. You have seen your grandchildren growing up in prosperity and abundance. You have seen the ease at which we go about our lives.

“And you know it can’t last forever.

            “You know their day will come, because you’re old and wise enough to know that it always comes. You know a time is coming that will test their character. You know someday they will find themselves in a crisis, and they will need a place they can turn to.

            “Will they come to the church when they are in peril? Will they look for answers here? And if they do, will they find what they are looking for?

            “I want to ask you something, you of that great generation. Do you think we’re ready? Do you think we have what it takes to face the dangers that lay ahead? You know they’re coming. You know that day is coming when the people will show up at the door of this church, looking for something. Hope. Safety. Shelter.

            “Are we ready for that day when your grandchildren realize the world is not as safe and secure as they’ve been lead to believe?

            “And is the church prepared to face the consequences if we’re not ready for that day? What if they find us still fighting with each other, still deciding whether or not to get new hymnals, still gossiping, and still ignoring them? What if we are arguing politics instead of agreeing that we are here to help people? What if we are all too busy clinging to traditions rather than faith?

            “What then?

            “I just want to suggest that maybe we should prepare for that day. Maybe we should focus on what is really important. Put ourselves aside and serve the Lord and His people. He’s made it pretty clear what we should do. He gave us His incredible Son as an example.

            “So what are we waiting for?

            “Should we wait for that one Sunday when trouble comes and people we have never seen before are desperately looking for answers? Do we start then?

“I am only saying that, as a church, we must be absolutely ready and totally prepared when the masses come through these doors.”

            I had said enough. I thanked them for their dedication and for allowing me to speak. Before finishing, I made a quick glance at my scribbled notes on the bulletin in front of me to make sure I didn’t miss anything. The only thing I remember seeing is the date on the cover, “September 9, 2001.”

            One week later, that Sunday came. And we weren’t ready.

THE THREE WORD SERMON

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

John 15:9

Every week, all over the world, ministers pray, research, write and pray some more – all trying to create a sermon that will inspire and ignite their congregations. And every Sunday, all over the world, they pour their heart and soul into bringing God’s message to their people with a unique and effective word from the Gospel.

Certainly, some truly brilliant and anointed messages come from world’s pulpits every week. But, some times I wonder: If I only had one sermon to preach, what would it be? If I knew that I only had one more chance to bring the message of Jesus Christ to the world, what would be the theme? What introduction would I use? What would be my main points to convey? What conclusion would be powerful enough to bring it all together at the end?

Then I realized something very important. The most profound sermon would be one that reflects everything Jesus told us. There is no complexity to it. No illustrations are necessary. You don’t even need PowerPoint!

The one sermon I would want to preach only has three words – Love One Another! Yes, that is all any church needs to do. Love One Another.

Can you imagine what would happen if a preacher stood before a congregation every Sunday, week after week, and simply said, “Love One Another,” and then sat down, finishing his sermon in three seconds? If that sounds ridiculous, imagine now if the entire congregation finally got this simple message and started doing exactly that. It would change the life of any church and any community where the people understood that Jesus wants us to love each other, first and foremost, Him!

Remember, love never fails. Love can turn evil to good, darkness into light and enemies to friends. True love can totally transform the world around us. And right now, you have the power of that love within you!

Don’t wait one more minute. Whatever excellent sermons you hear this week in church, on television or online, strive to start loving the way the Lord would have us love. Remember the little Three Word Sermon that says it all, the one that can live in your heart in every moment – Love One Another!

This Week’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, you told us to continue in love. That is why I ask your favor today. You know how hard it is to love with a broken heart. Please heal me today. Heal me from the wounds on my heart. Make me whole again so that I can bring your love to the world. Remind me that I can change the world. Strengthen me that I can do what must be done. Guide me that I can follow your will. And never let me forget that what you want most is what you gave most, love. Amen. 

THE REAL SECRET: REVEALED

 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,

whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:12-13

A few years ago millions of people devoted their lives to the teachings found in the best-selling book, The Secret. It seems there has always been a mystique about ancient wisdoms and teachings. Every once in a while, someone goes to the dark closet of human knowledge, blows the dust off an old book, and claims they have found the new “secret” to happiness, fulfillment, significance, wealth – or in this most recent example – the secret to everything!

Let me tell you about an old document I read recently. It is a letter between two friends written about 1700 years ago. In the third century, Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage wrote these words to his friend Donatus, “It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered, in the midst of it, a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy, which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians, and I am one of them.”

He is talking about the kind of peace that we experience as follower of our Lord Jesus. It is the kind of peace that people notice, especially when we demonstrate it in times of trouble. When everything is chaotic around us, when the world is tired and lost, we are the ones the world should look to for hope. Our faith cannot be hidden from the world. As Christians, we cannot operate a private, invitation-only club.

It is time the Secret to be revealed!

No longer can the world afford to have us sit idly by while others suffer or are ignored, wallowing in injustice. We must demonstrate the love of Christ to the world in all that we do. Yes, every moment of every day, in every way, we must be Christ to the world! This was never meant to be a secret or a closed religion, shut off from the world. We are called to be actively involved in the world, bringing love and healing to those in need.

The secret is that there is no secret. We are Christians. Through Him we have overcome the world. Like Him, we are here to love God and to love one another. None of this can be kept quiet any longer. We must make the declarations from the mountaintops. We must shout it as a war cry to the nations! Jesus is Lord!

This Week’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, Thank you. For you have given me everything I need to make the most of my life. Like lilies in the field, you have placed opportunity all around me. My life is surrounded by your bounty and the by the needs of your people. Allow me to work for you, Lord. Give me the job of lending a hand when someone needs to be lifted up. Show me where the hurting people are so that I may introduce the to you through all the things I do. Amen.

LIFE HAPPENS

Years ago in ancient Russian villages, at a time when many children did not survive infancy, it was the custom to have a “mourning hut” at the outskirts of every town. All the women who lost their young children were sent to live in this hut for one full month of solitude and grief. At the end of the month, the hut was set on fire – with the woman still inside. At that point she had to decide whether to live or die. If she came out of the burning hut, this indicated that she was prepared to live her life once again. Then, she would rebuild the hut for the next mother in mourning.

            I find the rebuilding of the hut by the woman is the most striking point of this old story. She was acknowledging that tragedy is a part of life we must accept and for which we must prepare. She was saying, “Sometimes there are happy endings, but life is not going to be filled with them.”

            In our world today, we often set ourselves up to be greatly disappointed. As a culture we readily buy into the theory that we should and can be happy all the time. And if life is not always wonderful then something is wrong with us. After all, aren’t we supposed to be constantly filled with joy! No wonder depression is so prevalent today.       

Even as Christians, we expect the path ahead to be a rosy one. But, just because you are a friend of Jesus does not mean that you will not get your heart broken. After all, who suffered more hardships than Jesus Himself? No, Jesus does not tell us we will be free from life’s tragedies, but He does promise to carry us through them and to always give us another chance.

100 years ago, the famed Polish pianist Arthur Rubinstein was lonely, hungry and in debt, his career as a musician was going nowhere. He felt there was nothing left for him but suicide. His problem was finding a way. He had no gun, no poison, and the idea of jumping out of the window was revolting because, "I might have to go on living with broken arms and legs."

Arthur chose to hang himself with an old belt from his robe. He went into the bathroom, stood on a chair, and secured one end of the belt to an overhead hook. Then he tied the other end around his neck and kicked over the chair. The worn-out belt immediately came apart, and Rubinstein fell to the floor with a crash.

He lay where he had fallen for a long time, weeping. Later, he stumbled outside to the streets of the city and felt the warm sunshine on his eyes. Suddenly, it was as if he were reborn. Later, the legendary pianist would never forget what the experience taught him. He said, "Love life, for better or for worse, without conditions.”

Is there any greater gift than the gift of having another chance at life? That was the gift Jesus gave Lazarus. New life. He said, "I AM the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. . . ." And that is the promise he has given you today. Jesus IS the resurrection and the life – the Ultimate Second Chance.

It does not mean you will not have your heart broken from time to time. But it does mean that you must make a choice, right now, today. Will you stay in your hut and watch it burn around you? Or will you choose to live, come out of your burning hut and help those who are coming down the same road you have traveled? Will you take the second chance that Jesus is giving you? Remember, if you are in Christ neither life nor death will ever defeat you, for the One who raised Lazarus from the dead will give you new life as well.

This Week’s Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the life you have given me. May I never take what you have given me for granted. I choose to live every day fully awake and alive, acknowledging that each moment is a gift. In good times and in bad, I know you will always be with me, my constant friend and my loving Lord. And through all the pain and broken hearts of life, please make me a stronger servant for you. Amen.