So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull. There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. John 19:16f
Good Friday: Those living in other countries call today Holy Friday, Passion Friday and the Friday of the Lament. Why do Americans call it Good Friday? I do not know. I’ve read that “Good Friday” is an abbreviation of “God’s Friday,” but of course it isn’t. Calling Good Friday, God’s Friday would be an abbreviation, but calling God’s Friday, Good Friday is not. I’ve also been told it has something to do with the positive spin Americans try to put on everything. All I know is that because it was an unthinkably bad day for Christ, it is a very good day for me.
My favorite Good Friday Video: You may click here to see the scene from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in which Aslan is bound and his mane is shaved. It is a horrific and riveting depiction of the Crucifixion.
What do Vonnegut, Golding, Tolkien, Lewis and Huxley have in common? The scene from Lewis’s Chronicles reminds me that Lewis shared something with Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughter House Five), William Golding (The Lord of the Flies), J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings) and Aldous Huxley (A Brave New World). Each was seriously wounded in a major war and unable (or unwilling) to write about their experiences directly. Instead, they each explored the nature and reality of evil via fiction.
Question to Spark a Spiritual Conversation: I hear that one of the reasons people do not talk with others about Christ is that they do not know how to start a spiritual conversation. Christ’s example is that it’s almost always best to ask questions. There are many that work. Here is one: if you could ask God one question – and knew He would answer – what question would you ask?
NPR, Empathy and Nietzsche: NPR ran a depressing piece about the rise of “selective empathy,” which they note is feeding our growing polarization. After reading it, I thought of Nietzsche. As you may remember, when the 19th century was rolling into the 20th – and optimism among the Enlightenment elite knew few bounds – Nietzsche was one of the few rightly predicting that the 20th century would be the blood bath it ended up being. While the press was giving attention to those celebrating the goodness of humankind and claiming that, “every day and in every way, things are getting better,” the German philosopher said, as people buy into the idea that God is dead, the Christian halo effect will fade, and soon all that will matter is power. The writers of the NPR piece do not seem to appreciate what a radical idea it is to love your enemies. It’s not our natural (i.e., fallen) response.
Quotes Worth Requoting:
- The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances. Elizabeth Elliot
- The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching, but whether or not he rose from the dead. Tim Keller
Happy Faster: A friend saw this sign on a Covey store in a mall a few years ago. He was not amused, especially given that Covey argued for a thoughtful approach to life – not simply moving more quickly. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a Happy Easter sign with the bottom part of the “E” covered by the picture of an Easter Egg. So, Happy Easter, not Happy Faster.
Learning from Tiger: Much of America was glued to golf coverage again, because the one who typically wears a red shirt and black pants on Sunday –was fighting to end the day in a green jacket. He did. During his descent years ago, I gave a talk to a group of men called “Learning from Tiger”. It’s available here and I think it still applies.
The Beauty of Humility: Speaking of sports legends making a comeback, Alex Rodriguez – AKA “A-Rod” – is also back. As you may remember, sometime after signing a $250 million dollar contract and moving from the Seattle Mariners to the New York Yankees, everyone started to hate A Rod. In a recent interview, he says he deserved it. I am not sure if his humility is for real or if he is being expertly coached by someone but reading the articled reminded me of how attractive humility is.
The Church Plant in Ghana: One of the REACH initiatives at Christ Church is helping start six churches overseas. Last weekend the church in Ghana held their grand opening. We had a team there for the celebration. Here is a picture.
Matthew Homes: A second aspect of REACH involves the housing initiative being done in North Chicago via ReNew Communities, a 501c3 we started a couple years ago. If all goes well, today we purchase another home – the third in the same block, which is ideal. Also, progress is being made on our first new build. (To date we have been doing remodels exclusively.)
Prayer Requests: It’s a big weekend. Please pray for worship services all over the globe. This is a weekend when “the fish swim into the net.” Please pray also for the election in India. We are also helping launch a church in the Tech corridor of Chennai, India. As you may know, under President Modi, the situation there has changed, and 12,000 Christian ministries have closed. Elections that are certain to have a significant effect on the spiritual climate there are happening now.
Closing Prayer: I am not worthy, Master and Lord, that you should come beneath the roof of my soul; yet since in your love towards all, you wish to dwell in me, in boldness I come. You command; open the gates, which you alone have made. And you will come in and enlighten my darkened reasoning. I believe that you will do this; for you did not send away the harlot who came to you with tears, nor cast out the repenting tax-collector, nor reject the thief who acknowledged your kingdom. But you counted all of these as members of your band of friends. You are blessed for evermore. Amen.
John Chrysostom (347 – 407)