He Drank Our Cup

Take just a moment to reflect on the following passages.

Matthew 26:36-46  36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

John 18:11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Have you ever considered what "the cup" is that Jesus spoke about in the previous passage?  Was Jesus having second thoughts about dying? Is He praying to be delivered from the cross?  Is he thinking about the mocking and humiliation of the trail ahead?

It was none of these things.  Jesus had taught them in Matthew 10:28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul."  He knew the suffering and the cross that were coming.  John 18:4 says "Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”

John records in chapter 12 verse 27 this prayer of Jesus. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

Jesus knew what was coming so what does this "cup" represent if not the suffering?

Revelation 4:10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

Throughout scripture the cup represents God's righteous and just anger and wrath toward sin. Our sin.  Jesus knew he was about to take the full wrath of God on Himself for our sin.  He drank the cup that was meant for you and me.  Even though His spirit was willing his flesh was weak (v41). He would willingly do the Father's will.

Luke 12:4-5 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Take time this week to think about the great news that Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath that was meant for you.  God takes our sin seriously.  So seriously that the just result of sin is death.  How have you responded to the fact that Jesus willingly paid for your sin?  Have you forgotten?  Have you ignored it?  Have you thought that being a good person or attending church has been good enough to erase your sin?

Trust that Jesus' sacrifice is your only hope for life, true joy and real hope.  Confess your sin.  Repent.  Live in freedom. Be transformed!!

Take a moment or two this week to watch the following videos and reflect.

We'll see you Sunday!

Watch "It is Finished" by Matt Papa

Watch "Gethsemane - Are You Totally Surrendered To God" by James MacDonald

Get Over Yourself!

What a great challenge from our pastor this week to move Beyond Ourselves and to love and share the good news about Jesus with the hurting and unlovely people that cross our paths.  How have you done?  Have you helped someone in pain? Have you been obedient to Jesus command to "Go and make disciples?" Maybe that seems a bit radical (by the way that's how Jesus lived), here's an easier question, have you even prayed this week for a non-believer in your life?

This week I was watching a video by Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love, the new book our Life Groups will begin reading.  In that video he referenced the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).  The Samaritan man was traveling and came across a man who had been beaten up.  The story even tells us that two other guys, both religious men who knew the story of God's love, traveled separately ahead of the Samaritan.  These religious men passed by the wounded man because he was an outcast and it would have been socially unacceptable.  The Samaritan, not thinking of himself, stopped and gave aid to the man above and beyond what was simply needed or required.  Jesus uses this parable to teach us the answer to the question, "Who is my neighbor?"

So who is your neighbor?  People in your path.

Jesus said "As you go make disciples." As you go on your path of life, Jesus has placed people on your path who need to experience and hear the love of Jesus.  Your path is full of people who are weak, hurting, mourning, angry, wounded, devastated, poor, odd, or socially awkward. You know people who are unloveable, unlikeable, unacceptable, and unloved.  You know kids who live in poverty, who don't have a dad, or long for a hug from a mom.  You know single parents who are hurting, marriages that are failing, or people who are abused.  They ARE on your path.  Do you see them?

Will you be like the religious men who passed by?  Will you be self focused?

or

Will you be like Jesus? Who loves people as they are. Will you love them, and shared with them the great mercies of his grace.

My prayer is that you will devote yourself to being obedient to King Jesus. Is there any other way to live?!

May God's Spirit empower you to love others this week,

Patrick

"A Call to Reform"

Well, here we are...the half-way point through our 40 Days of Purpose.  What's the purpose?   To see God transform the hearts and lives of our people in such  way, that we can look back and say, "Wow!  Only God could do that kind of work!!!"  As I revisit the sermon text from Sunday, and read the passages surrounding it, I'm more and more convinced that is exactly what Paul is presenting to the Ephesians and later to the Romans as well.  Reform!  The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines Reform as:

1.   to put or change into an improved form or condition

2.  to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses

Paul is pleading to these early Christians for reform.  The early church faced many struggles: heresy, persecution, pride, arrogance, dissension...interestingly many of the same things we still face today.  Perhaps we are in need of reform just as badly as the church at Ephesus.  In chapter 3 of Ephesians, Paul is calling for unity among the brethren...

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long, and high, and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  (3:14-19)

Essentially, Paul is saying, "Get over yourselves and try to conceive the big picture!" 

The time for reform is now!!!  This is a call to put a change into an improved form, or to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses.  

We spend so much time consuming ourselves with our own pride and narcissism that we end up missing the big picture.  Imagine if we were to have an entire culture or better yet an entire FBC Goldthwaite of every single person out of love telling each other, "Whatever you need, I'm here,"  putting aside any selfish ambition or desires completely.  What a reform, if we had an entire FBC Goldthwaite of people "...living a life worthy of the calling they had received...!" (Eph. 4:1)

My challenge is this, take some time this week to seek the LORD.  Are there any areas of your life that are keeping you from know how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is?  Is there anything in your life keeping you from living a life worthy of the calling your received?  

Will you join me in this Reform?

A God beyond all we could ever imagine...

Before getting into the thoughts and meditations from yesterday's sermon on worship, take a moment and watch the following videos.  They are a little long, they will definitely set the stage for the rest of our discussion this morning.  So, get comfortable, grab a cup of coffee, sit back and listen to these great words from Louie Giglio...

How incredible is that?!  I don't know about you, but when I try in my feeble efforts to wrap my mind around the vast magnitude and majesty that is God, it makes all my pride and selfishness feel somewhat petty.  How often we put our own gods before our Maker...how often we let things and petty selfishness get in the way of meeting and communing with God.

Here's a quick litmus test...what ever your mind dwells on or yearns for, that is your god.  

Martin Luther put it this way, "What your heart clings to and trust in, that is really your God."  John Calvin adds, “…just as waters boil up from a vast, full spring, so does an immense crown of gods flow from the human mind.” 

The bottom line is this...what are you worshipping?  If you find yourself more concerned with specifics of style and/or song choice, you may be missing the whole point.  Imagine sitting at a dinner table with our Redeemer and throughout the whole meal you are texting someone else because you don't like the color of napkins on the table...ignoring all the while your Gracious Host.

Take some time this week for a bit of self evaluation.  Ask God to reveal the things in your life you have put before Him.  It may be something as small as a particular T.V. program you enjoy watching.  Or, maybe you are putting yourself before God.  Do you find yourself using a lot of personal pronouns with regards to worship such as I, or me?  

We serve an amazing God that has created a universe that we will never comprehend this side of Glory.  Join God's creation in worship!  Join the whales and the stars in proclaiming the greatness of God!!!

IF YOU SKIPPED AHEAD, GO BACK AND WATCH THE VIDEOS!!!

Living a life worthy of the calling...thoughts on the sermon "Becoming Like Christ."

Well, today is day 2 of our 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting.  I don't know about you, but I see a long road ahead. This week we focus our thoughts and prayers on "Becoming Like Christ."  Just to refresh your memory, here is the sermon outline from yesterday:

"In His Image" ~ Romans 8:28-30

The valleys and trenches where we live are often harsh and difficult.  Yet, God’s Word confronts us to overcome and become more like Christ, and act the way Jesus did. The challenge is an uphill climb but we are to grow in His image and likeness. 

1.)  Not everything  that happens to us will be good and easy

2.) In spite of these things, God’s plan is for us to grow more like Christ in our attitudes and actions.

Christians are called on to act like Christ.  That is what the very word means.  A Christian is a person who is a follower of the LORD Jesus Christ and who is to act like Christ in everyday life.  Our goal in life os not only to go to heaven, but to act like Jesus and grow and become more like Him.  That’s God’s plan for us as believers.  

As I meditate of Bro. Doug's words from yesterday morning, the LORD takes me to Paul's letter to the Ephesians.  Paul is writing this letter as a great encouragement to the, "...saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus."  Throughout the letter, Paul is imploring them to embrace their new identity as redeemed children of the Living God.  In chapter 2, he begins walking them through the recounting of their salvation experience, and reminding them in verse 13... "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."  Praise the LORD!  

How encouraging it is to me that regardless of what I have done, or not done for that matter, that I am new in Christ!  But there's more...

As Bro. Doug read from our text yesterday in Romans 8, "those He predestined, he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified."  This is where I want to focus on for a bit.  

"Those He called..."

        We have all been called to live life as a redeemed child of the Living God through the shed blood of our Redeemer, Christ.  What does it mean to "Become like Christ?"  We are spending a lot of time on this idea this week, but what does that look like?  Going back to Paul's letter to Ephesus, in chapter 4 he gives us some great words of instruction. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:1-3.  

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." 

        These 3 verses sum it all up pretty clearly...humble and gentle, patience, bearing one another in love, and making every effort to keep unity of the Spirit through peace.  Take this week to examine yourself.  Do these traits all describe you?  Maybe you need to revisit Matthew ch. 18 and make amends with a brother or sister in Christ before you can grow in your walk with Him.  

May the Word of Christ dwell in you richly...

Corey

Ministry Day 4 - Sunday

Sharing the gospel at the church plant in Laura Flores.

Today was our last day of ministry.  We woke up this morning, went to breakfast and then headed to leadership training.  We studied personality types and leadership styles.  Afterward we headed to our morning worship time at First Baptist church here in Santo Domingo.    We had a great lunch (tamale, soup, meat/rice/veggies) and then bused over to Laura Flores, a neighborhood built on a trash dump.  At the site we had a short church service, sang songs, and then I shared the gospel with a ton of kids.

Emily and Mallory hang out with a few girls.

The team spent time playing with kids and a few girls in our group played soccer against the local Ecuadorian girls.  The game was pretty intense and we discovered that Mallory is an incredible goalie!

We had dinner at a local restaurant and then headed back to the hotel for another leadership session.

Goldthwaite's finest Goalie!!!

Tomorrow we are headed to visit the Tsachilas people, an indigenous tribe of Ecuador.  In the afternoon we are headed back to Laura Flora to put on a Soccer Clinic.



Please continue to pray for us as our mission is not over.

Ministry Day 3 - Saturday

We shared the gospel with this paralyzed man.

Well we had another great day.  The day started with breakfast and then we moved into our leadership time.  We studied another "soft" skill Authenticity.  We also looked at strengths and non-strengths.

Emily teaches how to share the gospel.

After our leadership study we headed to our ministry site.  One thing I didn't know until this morning was that Emily had led three people to the Lord yesterday!! Praise the Lord!  We made our way around to different homes and shared the gospel.  Mallory and Emily were able to share the gospel with several people.  Emily led another woman to Christ!  I had a great discussion with a young man named Shelbit from New Jersey.  I was able to leave a Bible with him and some information.  I know the Lord is after this guy and will continue to reveal himself.






This evening we went to a youth service at the "mother" church.  Mallory shared her testimony again.  We returned to the hotel for a hamburger dinner had a debrief time and now were headed to bed.

Tomorrow we will be going to local churches for worship.  Patrick will be preaching in the afternoon.

Mallory shares her testimony.

Please continue to pray for us.

- Fatigue is setting in
- Pray for Patrick preaching tomorrow
- Pray for boldness in sharing the gospel