What Are You Facing
I’m the oldest of three boys.
Being the oldest means a few things. One, it means you get to test the waters in every area of life and how far you can go before you get in trouble with mom and dad. It also means that your the child whom mom and dad are the most strict. There are also some fun things like getting to be the first to drive and stay up the latest.
Being the oldest growing up in my family also meant that I went before my younger siblings in school. I can’t tell you how many times I had drilled into my head that I was setting the tone for when my brothers went to school… elementary, middle and high school. Everything I did, everything I said, would reflect on how the teachers and administrators looked at my younger brothers. If I acted a fool, then my two younger brothers would automatically be labeled a fool as they stepped foot into the place I had walked before. And so, I walked through life ahead of my brothers doing my best to prepare the path they were to walk in each of their schools.
Another time when I went out ahead is while we were in the Grand Canyon. I would walk ahead of my kids as we hiked and climbed, taking their hand as they took their next step. Were they scared? Sure. Were they nervous? Absolutely. But their dad went ahead of them to help them deal with and overcome their fears and to let them know that what is unknown to them is known to me.
This idea that someone has gone before us is a powerful one.
Jesus knew this. check this out:
… ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ Matthew 28:7
Can you imagine what the disciples were thinking and feeling? Their Rabbi had just been killed on a cross between two thieves. The Messiah, Jesus, had just been murdered. Not because of any crime He had committed. A riotous crowd filled with anger called for Jesus to be put to death. Were they scared? Were they nervous? Two women who went to see the tomb of Jesus are now telling the disciples that Jesus isn’t there and that an angel said Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee.
You see, this isn’t the first time they heard that Jesus was going to go ahead of them to Galilee. On the night that Jesus was arrested, He told the disciples that He was going to go ahead of them into Galilee after He had risen from the dead. Matthew 26:32
Were the disciples worried about what would be waiting for them in Galilee? Jesus’ trial was brutal… people screaming… they came and arrested Him for no reason… the people were angry and wanted blood.
There were so many unknowns that they were walking into. But Jesus promised that He would go ahead of them into Galilee… into the unknown. That’s what Galilee stands for to me.
This idea that someone has gone before us is a powerful one.
What are you facing right now? Maybe you have children that are struggling academically, socially or with depression because of the separation they find themselves in from their friends and other kids. Maybe you were just laid off from work and now you don’t know how you’re going to pay your bills. Maybe the marriage you thought could last anything is now on its last leg and you don’t know if it can be repaired. Or maybe you’re waiting for test results from a biopsy or scan and you’re left wondering what you’re walking into.
This idea that someone has gone before us is a powerful one.
And it’s been a promise of God that He has fulfilled time and time again.
The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8
I don’t know what your Galilee is, but I do know this… Jesus has gone ahead of you there. You see, it’s not that God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle… it’s that when we call on the name of Jesus, we can be assured that He has gone before us to our Galilee and has promised to be our strength as we walk into our Galilee together.
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3
Dead Things
Dead Things
I hate watching anything on the Animal Channel. But especially chase and kill scenes like when a tiger is chasing its prey and then pounces on it to kill it. I can’t do it. Can’t watch it. Can’t even talk about it… especially if I’m eating.
I know. I’m weird. Especially since I’m a guy. My kids think I’m weird. And I guess I am. I don’t like dead things. I remember a time where I was driving to get our favorite Chinese food. On the way back I noticed a dead “something” in the road. I say “something” because I don’t look at whatever the dead thing is in the road. I put my hands at 10 and 2, look straight ahead as I drive over whatever it is that is dead. This time, because of how it was lined up on the road, I couldn’t put my car centered over the dead thing. And as I drove over it, hands at 10 and 2 and staring at the horizon, I felt my tire roll over the dead thing.
My gag reflex immediately started to kick in. My mouth and eyes started watering. And it was all I could do to not throw up as I was driving. To make matters worse, when I got home I couldn’t eat my food. Instead of thinking about my favorite Chinese food, all I could imaging was the feeling of my car’s tire rolling over the dead thing in the road. I couldn’t stomach eating my chicken with garlic sauce. Each bite I swallowed went down in a lump and almost came back up. My eyes are starting to water as I remember this story… and it happened years ago!
Laugh at me. I give you full permission. It really is funny. But it’s true. I can’t do dead things… at all. I can’t talk about them… can’t think about them… especially when I’m eating. It’s juvenile I know. But it’s true.
In Matthew, Mark and Luke, there’s a reference to laughter and a dead girl. Check it out:
When He arrived at the house of Jairus, He did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead. But He took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Luke 8:51-55
Jesus was first approached by the girl’s father when Jesus arrived back at Galilee and told him that his daughter was dying. As Jesus was on his way to this guy’s house, He was swarmed by enormous crowds. At one point, he stopped to speak with a lady who was desperate to meet Jesus. While He stopped to heal this lady, someone came from Jairus’ house to let him know that his daughter was dead.
Instead of giving up hope, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” Can you imagine all the emotions running through this father’s head. The anguish. The frustration with the crowds stalling Jesus. The feeling of desperation thinking he, as a father, didn’t do enough to save his little girl.
But with Jesus, dead things aren’t necessarily dead.
When Jesus arrived to Jairus’ house, he encountered people outside who were wailing because they believed all hope was lost. They knew that the girl was dead. And when Jesus said that she wasn’t dead and that there was hope…
The laughed at Him… because they “knew” she was dead.
But with Jesus, dead things aren’t necessarily dead.
Jesus took three disciples and the girl’s parents into the house where she was, took her by the hand, told her to get up… and her spirit returned and she immediately stood up.
With Jesus, dead things aren’t necessarily dead.
I don’t know who you are in this story. Maybe you’re the dead girl. And you feel like there’s no hope for you. You’ve done things that you’d be embarrassed if anyone found out. You feel dead inside because of the sin that’s eaten you away, like a tiger chasing down and devouring its prey. Choices that you’ve made that have made you feel like all hope is lost and you feel empty and dead.
But with Jesus, dead things aren’t necessarily dead.
Maybe you’re the people standing outside of the house wailing because you’ve lost hope… you’ve given up on your friend or your spouse, or your child or on humanity in general. Maybe you’ve laughed at Jesus in your actions by not believing in the power of Jesus to change the hearts of those around you to raise humanity out of the despair and death of sin.
Or maybe you’re the father in this story. Who’s heard of Jesus. Who’s searched for Jesus and has found Him. You believe that He is the One who saves and raises lives and relationships from the depths of sin and death. Don’t lose hope.
It doesn't matter if you’re the girl. The people outside. Or the father. Know this…
Dead things aren’t necessarily dead with Jesus.
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:1-11
When we call on the name of Jesus, dead things are not necessarily dead.