“But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Imagine. 

You spend every waking hour of your entire life in service to humanity and humanitarian needs only to be served up on a platter to an excruciating death by the very same people you served. 

No other of the world’s gods have ever reached down to meet faithful and faithless in their unreconciled condition. 

All others demand their reaching up to experience the holiness they offer. 

The bridge from heaven to earth was only walked in one direction by only one who, despite his miracles,  messages, and deity, was met with willful carnage and crucifixion. 

I think on this daily and still have no deserving human analogy or example. 

We all have our private and personal reasons for the formation of our faith in Jesus. 

This is mine. 

Never bet on people in a crowd to make fair and reasonable choices.
That’s God’s domain because he chose to be human with you.

We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭51‬-‭52‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Sadly, for many it will be an instant too late.

We’re hearing more and more from high profile athletes, celebrities and others about their conversion to a faith in Christ lately.

Their decisions compel them to make public what began as a private search for something true and of eternal consequence.

When you make such discovery, it’s hard not to tell the world about it.

Famous people are finding their professional fame unfulfilling and replacing their own achievements with the lasting achievement of Christ’s death and resurrection and a promise of the same for those who will believe.

The trumpets will sound for all of us.

Be one of the genuinely famous who can and will answer that call.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭58‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Arguably the most cited bible verse is from what is commonly referred to as the love chapter describing what Paul calls “the most excellent way.”

Love is what makes us human—an expression of a unique set of attributes and behaviors of divine origin which can only be bestowed, not evolved.

Love is sentience with a conscience surpassed by no greater eminence.

Indeed, love is the most excellent way.

That we have been bestowed with a unique capacity so precious is itself evidence of God’s existence.

In its origin and by definition, love is an entirely supernatural phenomenon.

And in the Bible it’s used only in reference to another bestowed with the same ability to love.

Not toward bananas. Not toward a favorite song. Not even toward a day at Disneyland.

A person.

That is, indeed, the most excellent way.

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I’m always bothered when someone from church cites their horoscope to explain their circumstances.

For them, a plea of ignorance won’t be an acceptable excuse on judgement day.

Divided allegiances are on display everywhere, oftentimes even in my own life.

The difference lies in having received the Holy Spirit who keeps such things in check within our consciences to foster learning and spiritual growth along our pathway to salvation.

That’s His job.

Earnestly pray for wisdom and discernment, especially in these times when deception is the cultural name of the game to lead us down paths toward destruction.

“That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Speed bump.

Pilate sent Jesus to Herod as he was under his jurisdiction to try and ultimately to condemn. 

United in their mutual disdain for Jesus, the two rival leaders had found something in common. 

Jesus was the speed bump. 

We read certain passages that give us pause. For me, this was one of them. 

Neither could find a reason to prosecute Jesus but Herod put the matter to a popular vote and wiped the guilt from his hands. 

How ironic that a relationship would be mended at the expense of Jesus’ crucifixion. 

But that’s exactly what Jesus does. 

Everyone who competes in the Olympics goes into strict training.

They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In Paris, we saw podiums and their medalists and heard of backstories that brought them to that moment in time.

Years of grueling training and many wins and losses along the way were part of the journey that earned them medallions of metal alloys now containing just 2% of what their names promise.

Still, the wins are symbolic of achievements that will all too soon be either forgotten or surpassed by someone else.

The reward for all their efforts is one fleeting moment of triumph.

It doesn’t last forever.

The only win that endures forever is the one resulting from daily commitment to following Christ.

Our reward is an afterlife not of bronze or silver but an eternity on entire streets of 100% pure gold.

Train for the race that wins the prize that holds its value and lasts forever.

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 

Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 

All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What can anyone offer God that he doesn’t already possess?

The answer isn’t any amount of cash or coin. Of what value is your money to the one who created all that is or ever was?

It’s entirely the heart motive behind the gift that God measures valuable in the kingdom of heaven. 

Giving is a manifestation of your faith and the relative placement of your heart among all the available options. 

The power of money captures, imprisons and promotes its own worship in substitution of God. 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Matthew 6:21

Nothing is more pleasing to God than faith fueled by a small sacrifice. 

He gave us his only son as a sacrifice to save us from sin and separation. 

When I’m gone, don’t remember me, remember what I’ve left behind.

The most important moments captured in history books are rarely about the person by name but about the changes they made to impact others while they were here and will remain when they are long gone.

Remembering a dead man is uninspiring but remembering residuals of his life work is.

A genuinely meaningful life is never about attribution but all about contribution.

Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 

Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭47‬-‭48‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus’ teaching was captivating. 

It illustrated a God who reaches down to his people. 

No longer was it necessary for us to plead up to the skies to experience heaven. 

God was with them. 

God is with us. 

The freedom from binding laws, freedom to enjoy a personal relationship, freedom from sin not dependent upon our own works, Jesus was refreshing, releasing, and radical. 

What was captivating then is captivating now. 

They hung on his words and in doing so they erected a spiritual block against the naysayers who wanted to kill him over the very words spoken that enraptured his believers. 

All scripture is God-breathed and worthy of getting hung up on. 

The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Take a stand on something and the haters are gonna hate. 

Choose one side over another and be prepared for vigorous arguments from those actually seeking truth and nasty personal insults from those who aren’t. 

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. 

Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. 

By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Be ready for spins and half-truths, put downs and shut downs, and a relentless perseverance of their fight to be right over your path to knowledge and understanding. 

And most of all, take peace in knowing the battle is not with you but with the One who sent you.

Be engaged, but not enraged.