A Rough Sunday at the Rock.

Sundays are great. Rock Sundays are awesome. Beach baptism Sundays are the best. Honestly today, another adjective comes to mind. Sundays are rough . There's so much we still miss about our pastor. I always read the Sunday night cranium dump (his blog). I so looked forward to it. It highlighted the day and pumped us up for the next week. It made us laugh, soberly convicted us, and encouraged a closer walk with Christ. Praised the band.  Shared his thoughts on how we could improve upon what we are already doing. It was sure to mention the number of those who gathered and those who crossed over from death into life. I missed the cranium dump so much tonight I thought of how the day went and how he would have put it down.

Today, I was so proud of our church. Over 800 gathered to hear the good news. I led a young man to Christ in the lobby. Best part of the day. 

The Rock band version of Amen was awesome. No, I haven't heard better.  Some people will get that. Missed K-lock and Mary. Hunter and Justin Lowes rocked worship at beach baptism. We need to get better sound equipment for that event. 

In spite of rough waters and a purple flag ( dangerous aquatic life ) being out, many went all in for Jesus. Matt Brown gave a great explanation of baptism. He 's come along way for a Clemson fan.  He sounded a lot like a great preacher as he joked about today being a good day to go to heaven. Actually, any day is a good day. As long as we are here, let's get more people ready for the trip. Right?

 Kelly should get an award for her efforts to capture the moments on film. Jim Brown led us in a prayer huddle, remembering our friend but propelling us forward. It was only possible to stand because we leaned on each other. Probably a metaphor there. I will always remember that prayer. It was worth the trip just for that. Have I told you I was so proud of our church today? Rough waters won't prevent our being obedient to God. He will eventually calm the seas. 

Personal thoughts: There is beauty even in the roughness. Four years ago Kevin baptized me. Today we baptized a Kevin. He's brand new adventurer on a journey with an endless destination! Our savior is alive! We are alive and we will live forever. 

 I told you it is a living legacy. 

There Will Be Crosses

 "Real men don't cry" is a lie the devil made up. One of his better ones, actually. I saw a real man crying today and he's a man's man and a rock in my book.  It broke my heart to see him that way.  It made me think about how being a follower of Christ is an invitation to war with Satan. Though there's a place for positive attitudes, the idea that life will somehow be a positive cloud nine, mountain top experience for Christians is as fictious as Star Trek. "Give your heart to Christ and live long and prosper."  Those words serve a fantasy much better than the reality. And the reality is we need a "real" god.

Two words blow what I refer to as the "Gospel According to Spock" ( the prosperity gospel) out of the water and prove real men do cry. "Jesus wept". http://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2012&version=NET. (Read John chapter 11 pay close attention to verse 16.)Those two words say so much about not only life, but also the giver of life. A life that isn't always a void of heartache . I'll be the first to admit, there's comfort in knowing the creator God is just and all powerful.  But before we all break out into the chorus of "He's Got The Whole World in His Hands,"let's be honest.  As in awe as we may be of His majesty and power, it is hard to find a friend in that. But a god that lets us see Him cry, we can be friends with that God. 

It's not just the fact Jesus cries but what he cries over that gets me. The suffering of a friend and the anger and frustration in the attitudes surrounding him from his friends to his enemies. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Even in perfection, his life was real and positively human. Before the betrayal of Judas, he had felt the frustration of relationships. Before his pain in death, he felt the pain of life. Those closest him, then as now, suffer . But it these words, that hold those who would preach the prosperity gospel in contempt . "And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:38 NET)".  I can almost see Jesus writing those words in red in the margin of a copy of  " Your Best Life Now ".

 Following Jesus is sometimes painfully disappointing and hard work. It isn't easy to forgive. Forgiveness, not prosperity, is the heart of the gospel message.   It's only through the work on the cross the work the work of the gospel gets done. It's there we can find forgiveness for ourselves and others. We certainly won't carry a cross unless we embrace the one Christ carried for us. The one we we built for Him and effectively and personally nailed Him to. Crosses not meant to adorn the necks, but instead, to scar the backs of those who do the work of real gospel. Real people, in the real world, with real problems, needing real forgiveness, serving a real God. If there is forgiveness, there will be crosses.