Easter means WORK!  And lots of it.  Katie and I were joined by so many of you helping to serve The Body of Christ with our sweat and hearts.  And while I fished in my brain to come up with a Word for today, Katie sent this to me.  I immediately wanted to share it with you.  Enjoy.

“[Martha] had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’  But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.'”  Luke 10:39-42

I HAVE WON THE VICTORY by Max Lucado, from He Chose The Nails

GOD’S PROMISE IN THE EMPTY TOMB

With the cross, [God] won the victory. —Colossians 2:15

On the first Easter morning . . . the smothering silence that insulates the domain of the dead from the world of the living was suddenly shattered. ~ Gilbert Bilezikian

But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God! —1 Corinthians 15:57 MSG

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. —2 Corinthians 2:14

HIS BIRTH

The words of King Herod when told of the birth of Jesus. “Kill Him. There is room for only one king in this corner of the world.”

The number of religious leaders who believed a messiah had been born in Bethlehem. Zero.

The type of people who did. Some stargazers, night-shift shepherds, and a couple of newlyweds who claimed to have more experience giving birth than having sex.

The reward given to Joseph and Mary for bringing God into the world. Two years in exile, learning Egyptian.

This was the beginning of the Christian movement. (And these were the calm years.)

HIS MINISTRY

The word on the streets of Jesus’ hometown when He claimed to be sent from God. Weird family. Have you seen His cousin?

The reaction of the hometown folks. Stone Him.

The opinion of His brothers. Lock Him up.

The number of disciples Jesus recruited. Seventy.

The number of disciples who defended Him to the authorities. Zero.

The assessment of His followers as found in the Jerusalem editorial page. A group of unemployed ne’er-do-wells recruited off the shipping docks and out of the red-light districts.

The number of lepers and blind and lame people Jesus healed. Too many to count.

The number of healed lepers and blind and lame people who defended Jesus on the day of His death. Zero.

HIS EXECUTION

The popular opinion regarding Jesus before He cleansed the Temple. See if He’ll run for office.

The popular opinion regarding Jesus after He cleansed the Temple. Let’s see how fast He can run.

The decision of the Jewish council. Three spikes and a spear.

The talk on the streets of Jerusalem after Jesus died. He should’ve stayed in the furniture business.

The number of times Jesus prophesied that He would come back to life three days after His death. Three.

The number of apostles who heard the prophecy. All of them.

The number of apostles who waited at the tomb to see if He would do what he said. Zero.

The number of His followers who believed in the resurrection before it occurred. You do the math.

The odds a street-corner bookie would’ve given the day after the crucifixion on the possibility that Jesus’ name would be known in the year 2000. “I’ll give you better odds that He’ll rise from the dead.”

HIS MOVEMENT

The official response of the Jewish leaders to the rumors of the resurrection. Of course they say He’s alive. They have to. What else can they say?

The actual response of the Jewish leaders to the resurrection of Jesus. “A great number of the Jewish priests believed and obeyed” (Acts 6:7).

The decision of the Jewish leaders about the church. “If their plan comes from human authority, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them” (Acts 5:38–39).

The response of the church. “The number of followers was growing” (Acts 6:1).

The official response of the Jewish leaders to the conversion of Saul. Good riddance to the former Pharisee. Won’t be months before he is in jail, and then what will he do? Write letters?

What Saul, turned Paul, understood that his former colleagues didn’t. “God gave [Jesus] as a way to forgive sin” (Romans3:25).

THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES

The belief of French philosopher Voltaire. The Bible and Christianity would pass within a hundred years. He died in 1778. The movement continues.

The pronouncement of Friedrich Nietzsche in 1882. “God is dead.” The dawn of science, he believed, would be the doom of faith. Science has dawned; the movement continues.

The way a Communist dictionary defined the Bible. “It is a collection of fantastic legends without any scientific support.” Communism is diminishing; the movement continues.

The discovery made by every person who has tried to bury the faith. The same as the one made by those who tried to bury its Founder: He won’t stay in the tomb.

The facts. The movement has never been stronger: more than one billion Catholics and nearly as many Protestants.

The question. How do we explain it? Jesus was a backwater peasant. He never wrote a book, never held an office. He never journeyed more than two hundred miles from His hometown. Friends left Him. One betrayed Him. Those He helped forgot Him. Prior to His death they abandoned Him. But after His death they couldn’t resist Him. What made the difference?

The answer. His death and resurrection.

For when He died, so did your sin.

And when He rose, so did your hope.

For when He rose, your grave was changed from a final residence to temporary housing.

The reason He did it. The face in your mirror.

The verdict after two millennia. Herod was right: there is room for only one King.

1. The quote from Michael Eric Dyson was excerpted from his book Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America, published by St. Martin’s Press, p. 2. 

Excerpted with permission from He Chose The Nails  by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

“… my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

With Easter, and our annual ‘Sticky Bun’ Breakfast coming up, it was time to start gathering supplies. Noting a few of the items were on sale at the local grocer, I started there. Paper Towels met my criteria of both of need and discount, so I bought 2. That was 4 days ago and I’m still looking for them!

Organization has never been a strength for me, but now that I am older I have at least found an excuse! Going through the line, trying to gracefully push the VERY SLOW check out guy, I bagged my own stuff and rushed out to do the next thing. It wasn’t until last night that I realized, 4 DAYS LATER, that I must have left the paper towels sitting at the cash register!

I felt dumb… Stupid even! But feeling didn’t help the fact that the church still needed paper towels! Setting out to remedy the situation, I called the store and laid it on thick, using every method of influence I could muster. “This is REVEREND McCay, and I really need your help!”

Now everyone knows there is not much ‘reverent’ about me. Case in point, I only use ‘The Title’ when there is an advantage to gain from it. Jesus’ Church needed paper towels, I had the receipt, but not the towels, so I wanted to know if there was a solution. Maybe someone found them after I left the store… or somethin’. Deservedly, the lady on the other end of the phone simply laughed saying, “Call tomorrow and lay that on the day manager.”

I am a fool, I made a mistake, I lost money doing it and the need still exists because breakfast is coming up Sunday. That feeling pervaded my whole sense of being last night at the ‘Maundy Thursday’ silent communion service. Life has been crazy, hectic and unsettling for me lately. With lots of issues coming at me at once, I honestly couldn’t even pray hard enough to get my prayer above the ceiling. “Lord… help me.” Was the underlying theme of every sentence. When I was done, I still felt like a loser. But duty calls, and it was mine to both greet and say goodbye to the participants. I went outside to do just that.

Everyone said how beautiful the church looked and how much it impacted them, as God reached down in the silence and touched each one. With background music from ‘The Passion’ setting the tone, a reverent sadness filled each heart as we all tried to grasp how the Divine could work through such horror. And then…

Looking toward the parking lot, I saw Ray coming up the sidewalk carrying the biggest package of paper towels I have ever seen! I hadn’t mentioned our need… he just brought them! And all I could do was stare, as I felt the smile of God and His nudge to recall this verse. As I closed my eyes and breathed out, “Thank you Lord,” I sensed His wink!

Hallelujah… What a Savior! Is He yours?

“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lemasabachthani?’ which means ‘My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?'” Matthew 27:46

The event happened a long time ago when I was a young boy. But the imprint of the memory remains as fresh as yesterday. We were visiting friends of my parents out of state. Being bored and looking for something to do, I saw a wooden go-kart sitting in their garage. How could I have known it would transport me to a place I would never forget?

I remember sitting in the go-cart on a downhill slope of a driveway. But it wouldn’t roll! When I began to rock back and forth to force it into action, my head hit a corner on the wooden frame. Instantly blood poured into my eyes and I screamed, mostly out of fear! EVERYONE heard me and soon we were rushing to the hospital.

I really don’t remember any pain. But when the doctor said I needed stitches and pulled out a huge syringe to numb my forehead… I freaked and tried to get off the table. I was subdued quickly and placed on a rolling stretcher moving toward the emergency room. Trying to get off of that, they strapped me down to hold me still. Looking at my dad, they blocked him from coming along with me!

I will never forget my fear, or the look on my father’s face, as the doors closed between the both of us. I cried out “Daddy, Daddy… don’t leave me!” But struggling, I could not move! Strapped to the gurney to hold my head still for the needle, the last thing I saw before the doors closed were tears running down my father’s face.

Maundy Thursday is a big day for me because it forces me to remember my own horrific event. Then I think about Jesus and His prayerful agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He begged His Father to not leave HIM. For the first time ever, He was about to experience separation from His Father. He was going to have to trust that His Father would be there… afterwards.

What if something had gone wrong and the prophecies could not be fulfilled. What if His enemy satan actually got a leg up and His sacrifice wouldn’t be good enough? As He felt His Father backing away, and remembering the betrayal of Judas, He HAD to wonder. How could He be sure this would all work if even His own Dad turned his back on Him?

Back at the hospital after the stitches were finally in, I was exhausted from crying. I was rolled into a room where visitors were allowed… and my dad was the first. We hugged at the reunion and I was overjoyed that he hadn’t abandoned me after all. But we were changed by the event. He preached that experience at many ‘Good Friday’ services. Now I do the same.

Things have changed in medicine since then. Now parents are welcome in the room with their children. I remember sitting with mine for stitches, grateful that they would never have to endure that feeling of abandonment and fear. But I am also strangely grateful for my own experience… because it helps me realize the tremendous price both God and His Son had to pay for me to be saved. Deep down, I never really feel like I’m worth it! But knowing the cost and God’s willingness to pay for me makes me love Him all the more.

So on this Maundy Thursday, I ask this question… will YOU betray the one who paid so much for YOUR redemption? And after what He did for you… what will YOU do for HIM? 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalm 32:8

I have been regularly visiting a special lady under hospice care for about a year now. Which prompts me to question my own understanding of Hospice! I always love and enjoy our visits. The problem ‘I’ have is that ‘The Lady’ lives on an island! Though the island is LONG… it is an island still. Nd to get there, I must cross over a bridge! The bridge and I have issues!

This bridge is a rare, antique, turn-style bridge built in 1926. Tourists love to watch the gates drop and the bridge tender spin it 90 degrees on it’s axis, allowing boats to go by. Residents do not. It seems that every time I want to go visit my friend, ‘The Bridge’ gate is closed, forcing me to wait for it to reopen… AGAIN!

I went there yesterday, and as usual, the gate was closed. Being about the 20^th vehicle back, It had been closed for a while. I watched as a large yacht passed through heading south, and then yawned as we all waited for a smaller, northbound vessel to clear. With that much time on my hands, and with my ADHD in full bloom, I began to think and question.

“WHY do I ALWAYS hit this bridge when it is down? Does satan see me approaching from home and manipulate traffic to stick it to me? Does GOD have anything to do with it, maybe giving me time to prepare and think about Him? Is He trying to teach me patience? If so, it never seems to work.” But in reality, I am just glad people cannot see the thoughts of a crazy man in the stuck truck at the closed bridge!

In the theological world, the question of cause and effect is a long and debatable one. Some contend that God causes everything, some, like me, do not. Others don’t even give it a thought! I most feel sorry for them. To me, NOT contemplating my place in a bigger, purposeful scheme of life is the biggest sin of all. Then today’s verse came to mind.

Leaving ‘The Lady’ joyful and heading off the island en route to another appointment, the bridge was open! SHOCKED, I tromped on the gas to improve my odds, only to watch the gate come down 5 seconds before I was to cross. Trapped, I ran through my questions AGAIN! Only this time, I got the answer to ‘does God or does satan?’ ‘IT DOESN’T MATTER!’

Are YOU aware of God’s loving, teaching eye upon YOU, everywhere YOU go… no matter the obstacles?

“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19

I’d been had! I didn’t think I had been… until I was. But by then, it was too late. And life was going SO well! Or so I thought. That is until I started my Annual Physical questionnaire!

Being 67 has its perks. Last year I signed up to receive what I had been paying into all of my working life… Medicare! Now, instead of an insurance company paying my medical bills, the Government of the U.S.A. receives, and pays them. Reminded of my upcoming appointment, the cell phone prompted me to a very questionable questionnaire!

It started off ok… name, address, birth date etc. But soon, it took a LONG and invasive turn. How many stories is my house? Do I use a cane? What is my financial status? When questioned about my sex and toilet habits, I had enough and tried to skip ahead. When it wouldn’t let me, I questioned my Doctor!

My Doctor, also my friend, agreed with me that these questions were none of anyone’s business. I felt bad for him when I realized he must get this protest often. He told me my beef wasn’t with him or his medical group, but with Congress! In order to get what I paid for, I now need to comply and answer the obligatory questions. Or NOT receive treatment!

It was LIKE a ‘Come to Jesus Meeting,’ but NOT in a good way. Instead of confessing my sins and failures to God to receive forgiveness, I was providing information that ultimately could, and probably WILL, be used against me! Questioning the source of the questions, I remembered today’s verse.

When well meaning Christians say ‘God is in control’ I cringe, because the Bible says otherwise! In an attempt to win converts, both God and satan provide intel and suggestions to win us to their side. Satan, having man’s evil heart as an advantage, can be FAR more convincing. Still, it is up to each individual to CHOOSE their side while BOTH sides collect information!

Being a man born in America and acquainted with Freedom, I tend to think I have the right to BE free! Which is a PERILOUS thought, since there are ONLY 2 sides are ‘God’s’ or ‘NOT God’s!’ Thinking myself a legitimate ‘third’ choice automatically places me on the ‘Not-God’s’ list! Answers to HIS questions about my heart and intentions will either SAVE or JUDGE me. I THANK GOD He is in the SAVING business!

SO what info has God collected on YOU? 

“…keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Matthew 24:42

My son and his family were coming for a visit yesterday. So after Church, I redd up the house real quick and looked forward to their arrival. After a couple hours of not hearing from him, I texted, questioning a time frame. He replied that a ship he was to bring in got delayed and that they couldn’t come after all. I thought of this verse.

Holy Week always leads me to read about Christ’s arrest and crucifixion. Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 record Jesus’ account of what will happen, along with what to expect at “The End” before His final return.   Jesus’ own focus and commands to his disciples, and therefore ME, are NOT on the details of specific events, but on MY attitude as they approach. His command as THE coming Lord and King is simple. “KEEP WATCH!”

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what that 2 word command to “KEEP WATCH” really means. I watch a clock at times, watch TV, and a host of other things that occasionally catch my eye. Somehow I just instinctively KNOW that Jesus is NOT talking about just looking around! His Word is RARELY that simple!

I ‘redd up’ the house in preparation for my son. Being from Pittsburgh AND of Scottish heritage, the term means to tidy up and prepare. Though not an overall cleaning, it means to make my house presentable to guests. Like putting dirty dishes into the dishwasher and removing my dirty socks from the living room floor! I think ‘redd up’ is a good Jesus word too!

Being READY for the arrival of ‘The King’ implies ME being ‘REDD UP’ as well! Jesus says so, MANY times, in the Gospels. The WORDS I speak are important. But if ACTION does not accompany those words, The King will judge me accordingly. He’s more interested in SEEING, it seems, than HEARING! To me, looking in, down and around must be considered preconditions to looking up! And as the clock ticks in a world that grows darker by the day, I must remind myself of HIS daily expectations.

Are YOU redd up and ready? The King is coming!

“Create in me a pure heart, God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

It’s clear I have a dirt problem… and in more ways than one. Sometimes I see it. Other times I don’t. Sometimes it matters. Sometimes… not so much. But it’s dirt! And the only place I see dirt as good is when used for growing things. But neither my pool, nor my truck, are farms.

As the weather warms and I begin to look at my swimming pool with a desire to jump in, I notice the dirty bottom. I notice it because the water is crystal clear, allowing for a clear view of the sand and leaves lying on the bottom. It is a daily reminder that ‘I’ have some cleaning to do, since it is MY pool and ‘I’ am the only one who can do it.

I took my truck to my favorite mechanic yesterday. It has a leak in the heater core that needs to be addressed. I’ve asked my friend to check all the fluids as well, since I can’t readily SEE if they are dirty or not. Dirt inside an engine has MUCH more potential for damage than when it lies under clear water at the bottom of my pool. I guess damage control is more the point when dealing with engines.

I’ve always been bothered by today’s verse today. David has just been convicted in his heart of a very dirty problem. Adultery and murder have a way of leveraging conviction to a whole different damage level. David asks God to give him a clean heart, and that puzzles me because I don’t know what Dave is really asking.

Is David asking for a new clean heart and expecting God to wave His magic wand to make it so? If so, can God even DO that? And if he CAN, why doesn’t He do it more often and with EVERYBODY? No doubt, like my pool, God can CLEARLY see the dirt in my heart. And if it is HIS job to CLEAN it, why doesn’t He do it more often?

These questions are serious ones that I have asked for decades. By now they are rhetorical because I already have learned and know their answers. God not only WON’T clean a heart alone, He CAN’T! Heart cleaning, like engine maintenance, takes cooperation between the owner and his mechanic. Cleaning and keeping it clean is a mutual and daily operation.

Are YOU clean and clear before God?  

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23

Walking into the Grocery Store I immediately let one of the employees know I was looking for “The Man!” Well, not really in those terms. Being surprised he wasn’t up in the FRONT office where “The Man” of EVERY company usually hangs, I simply asked, “is Ryan here today?” Being told he was last seen back in the meat department area, I headed that way. I did NOT expect to see what I saw!

Wandering back in that area I didn’t see him. I saw a couple of butcher’s heads behind and above the meat counter, but no Ryan, When I asked a gal where I might find him, one butcher raised his head and I became confused! Dressed in a white apron, mask and hairnet, Ryan hollered, “Oh hi K.C.!” I guess it was the hairnet that threw me because Ryan is bald!

It was from surprise that I started with, “I didn’t know you could cut meat, pal!” He responded with a smile and said, “Oh I DON’T cut meat… I’m rolling meatballs!” Which shocked me even further since… Ryan is the store’s “General Manager!” It hit me as natural when surprise fell away and I remembered Ryan as a younger lad! Now… it made sense.

I don’t know the job requirements of a major grocery store general manager. But I’ve known Ryan since he was a little kid. I had him in church, and eventually in the Boy Scout Troop where I was a leader. He was ALWAYS polite, kind and helpful. He started his working career as a stock boy in the very store where we were standing. Now, as ‘The MAN’ager, he was rolling meatballs!???

I always tell young folks that “Doing your best,” is the Cub Scout motto. But when you get older, life will require you to “DO THE JOB!” It may be politically correct to reward people for giving it a try. But even GOD, when He gives a job, EXPECTS me to ‘GIT-R-DUN!’ I remembered enough about Ryan’s heart and work ethic that if rolling meatballs was necessary for the store’s success, He would rise to the occasion. And he had!

Bakers bake and butchers butch… but servants serve! The Master of The Universe has made it clear that He has called me, and ALL of His children, to the very same occupation He placed His Son. For above the pocket of Jesus’ apron reads the title for which His Father is most proud… “Chief Servant!” Watching Ryan serve reminded me of MY duty as well. I could almost hear God saying…. Let’s ROLL!

Are YOU “GITTIN-R-DUN for Jesus?”

“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD—a lasting ordinance.” Exodus 12:14

“Oh WOW! It’s NOW?” Going through the grocery store, I noticed the products for this year’s Passover celebration had been placed for sale at the end of the aisles so they could easily be seen. It is a marketing strategy that works, reminding people what they will want, then making it convenient for purchase. Though not Jewish, the items DID remind me of something extraordinarily important.

It was the grape juice, wine and Matzo that really caught my attention, because they reminded me of what they were intended to remind ALL of us. That Salvation only comes through a sacrifice… and that sacrifice is provided by God alone. Passover and Easter are celebrated at the exact same time for that exact same reason. I shopped… and mused!

Arriving at the checkout counter where a young lady was waiting, I read the sign behind her out loud. “Passover. Passover. PASS-OVER!” Then blurted out to her… “Hey… just what IS Passover anyway?” I saw her face contort, almost painfully, as she searched her brain for the answer. Then she said, “Ohhhh. I’m Jewish… I’m supposed to know this!” But she didn’t!

When it comes to Nuclear fusion, algebra or how to convert millimeters to inches, the world will continue whether I understand those things or not. But TRUE LIFE will not continue past this one, if I do not learn, or forget, the lesson of what Passover is all about. I was reminded that I am called to be a reminder to a world that doesn’t want to mind!

Nobody learns without being taught. And if what I am taught is NOT what is critically important, then continually brought up as a reminder, what is important to God will get replaced with human priorities. Which is almost a definition of sin! I don’t need reminders of sin. I live with myself daily!

Not wanting to belittle the gal, Katie and I suggest she read the story in Exodus to remind herself, then exited the store, wishing her a Happy Passover (if there is such a thing). We prayed for her, and as I left, I hoped to get an opportunity to speak to her again about the amazing sacrifice God offered on her behalf. Because Passover is simply too important to let pass by without understanding!

Well…whadaYOUknow?