There are many “catch phrases” that circulate through Christendom...

...sometimes they have great meaning and other times not so much.  One such phrase is, “It is not about me” but reality tells us that most of what we do is about us and it is for us. Max Lucado in his book with the same title as the phrase It Is Not About Me is attempting to help us see that whatever we do should be done for the glory of God. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV) “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  Whatever we do we should be doing for God’s glory but all too many times “me” gets in the way. One of the reasons people are going from one church to another on such a consistent basis is because they truly believe church should be all about them. We have come to believe that church should be like a Super Walmart, one stop shopping. Have you ever thought, I cannot stay at this particular church because it does not have a certain ministry you want for yourself or your family? Just a thought, maybe God brought you there to raise up a children’s ministry or whatever ministry you want. Something to pray about.

Lucado says, “Our society is not wired for this kind of thinking. It’s a “me-centric” world out there, which destroys much of what should be good. Marriages are ruined because one or both partners are focused on their own happiness. Successful men and women are ruined by their own success, believing they don’t need anyone else’s input. And for some, life’s troubles are magnified because they believe life is all about them.”  The Gospel of Jesus Christ seems to be completely backward to our self-centered lifestyle here in the United States of America. We are taught and are even conditioned to believe that we have the right or entitlement to have what we want when we want it.

I have said for years that God is not so much interested in our happiness as He is our holiness. He wants us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This seems so difficult when we are so comfortable taking care of number one. Lucado says, “Our comfort is not God’s priority. If it is, something has gone awry.  If we are the marquee event, how do we explain flat-earth challenges like death, disease, slumping economies, or rumbling earthquakes? If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased?” The truth is that God does not exist to make a big deal out of us but we should exist to make a big deal out of Him. It is not about you and for a certainty it is not about me, it is all about Him. Psalm 34:3 (NKJV) “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” Enough said!

Happy Resurrection Sunday! Please recognize the value or benefit of the local church…

...of Life Church! Many of you are new today and you are our very special guests. Thank you for coming to this wonderful community of God and this Easter Production. God has something wonderful in mind for you. We have talked about how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have experienced beautiful community for all eternity and how there came a time that we were invited into that glorious community. Jesus, by His coming, His death, His burial, and His resurrection has made it possible for us to be brought into this community…into this family of God. Not a perfect family…just look around. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 (NKJV) “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Jesus’ purpose was to build His church (this community) and that is what has been happening since Jesus rose from the dead. Our purpose has to be His purpose…we want to co-operate with Jesus in building His church. We want to exist as a community of God so that we can invite others into this wonderful family. Thus My Easter Story! Life Church has a community within this community which is called the Life Church Music Department. This group of believers have a beautiful goal in mind for all the work they have been doing. They want you to have a personal invitation to be in community with Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and the Body of Christ…the local church. Any other purpose is misguided. Back to my original text…Jesus to the Pharisees. John 5:40 (NKJV) “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

The Pharisees thought there was another way to get into this community or to get eternal life and that was through the scriptures. The scriptures are good, church is good, an Easter program is good but…Jesus said it best…But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. You can come to Life Church, you can come shake my hand, you can read your Bible but until you come to Jesus…you are not in. Listen to Jesus. 

John 10:9-11 (NKJV) “I am the door.” Your Easter Story can start today not because you entered this building, heard a great program, or even heard a short sermon…your story will begin because you come to Jesus. He is the only way. Acts 4:11-12 (NLT2) ^“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” He is the Door to this community of God and He welcomes you today. We welcome you to come to Him today. Be willing to come to Jesus so you can find life and find wonderful community. Let today be the day you can say this is My Easter Story!

One week before Resurrection Sunday. I encourage you to seek for a deeper intimacy...

 ...with Jesus like the Apostle Paul had. Philippians 3:10-11 (NKJV) ^“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Listen to the Amplified Version: Philippians 3:10 AMP- “For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in the same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [the power it exerts over believers]; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into His likeness even] to His death.” Today I want to use an acronym for the word TIME. Hopefully Holy Spirit will teach us the truths we need to know about how to get more intimate with Jesus. 

1. T – Time. If we will have this intimate relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it will definitely take time. Paul said it in the amp version. That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him. I am sorry to be the one to break the news to you but if you will get close to God and have this wonderful intimate relationship, it will take time. You have to be intentional. 

2. I – Intimacy. This is an invitation for closeness. Time alone with God is a crying out to God. The discipline of solitude is a welcoming of God to be close. When I get as close to God as I possibly can and I am in the light of His glory, I see what a wretched sinful person that I am. 

3. M – Meditation. This is to focus one's thoughts on: reflect on or ponder over. The act or process of spending time in quiet thought. Meditation, in its self is not wrong, it all depends on what we are thinking about. To be intimate with God is a process whereby we find ourselves thinking about Him all day long. Meditating on God is not a denial about the enemies you have. It is awareness that God is for you. Meditating on Him is being still and knowing He is God. It is drawing so near that you know you can trust Him. 

4. E – Evolution. This is a gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form. Intimacy with God can become the process where we evolve into something better. Our intimacy causes cleansing from sin and the effects of this nasty world. If you are intimate with God on a regular basis you will have the same attitude Isaiah had. Lord, send me! This Easter determine to get close to Jesus!