JonathanBryant.info

Casey Darnell
A Challenge for this Good Friday and Easter Sunday:

To Just Worship.
Worship without critiquing.
Without analyzing.

Become more engaged by what HE thinks of you and has done for you.
…and grow less concerned or caring about the music or style or genre.

Look at the stage, but don’t see the worship leader (V-Neck and all)…don’t see the band…or the lights or production.

Don’t talk or go home & blog about the worship leader’s style…
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…don’t be concerned if he wears a v-neck or not and his style is maybe “metro-sexual.”

Let all those things fade into the background as they create an opportunity to allow you to reflect…the same opportunity you had before you walked in the door…when you woke up this morning…all day long as you lived and breathed.

Remember your worship doesn’t start when the band cracks the 4 count and starts the first song…and it doesn’t end when they play the last chord or the last verse is read or the message ends and the house lights come up.

Let styles or worship become a thing for other people to talk about…but NOT you.
Not now in the moment when you realize Jesus was crucified for you…And all your opinions seem waisted.

So let go of opinions and a nature to criticize. Resist the temptation.
Let go of the deep rooted bitterness or hurt that causes you to use your tongue in ways that only bring YOU attention…and to critique or judge the attention others may get, realizing they are their to point the attention to Jesus.

So do that.
Give Jesus your attention.
Give Him your song and your sorrow and your hurt and bitterness and resentment and confusion and doubts…
…Give Him everything that you are holding onto and fighting to keep to yourself.

Give Him your worship.
The very thing He wants…but no one else can give for you….or sing for you…
…or create a moment in a service BIG ENOUGH to dare rival…the simple surrender of YOUR HEART.

I hope for us this will be a challenge so much bigger then this weekend.
Less talk about the worship leader. Less talk about the music style.
Less talk about your favorite song. Less of YOU and ME.

More of Him.

CASE
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Mark Batterson
I Am Barabbas

This thought keeps going through my mind today: I am Barabbas.

Imagine what that Friday must have been like for him. He was sitting in a jail cell awaiting his execution. He knew it was the last day of his life. It was the end. There was no hope. Then he hears the crowd chanting his name and the next thing he knows he’s a free man. The charges are dropped. His life that was almost over starts over. And a sinless man named Jesus literally takes his place. He expected to die. He deserved to die. But his execution, in the sovereign plan of God, was scheduled on the same day Jesus was arrested.

If ever there was a picture of II Corinthians 5:21 this is it: “God made him who knew no sin to become sin for us.”

—————————————-
John Piper
A Conversation with Death on Good Friday

CHRISTIAN:

Hello, Death, my old enemy. My old slave-master. Have you come to talk to me again? To frighten me?

I am not the person you think I am. I am not the one you used to talk to. Something has happened. Let me ask you a question, Death.

Where is your sting?

DEATH, sneeringly:

My sting is your sin.

CHRISTIAN:

I know that, Death. But that’s not what I asked you. I asked, where is your sting? I know what it is. But tell me where it is.

Why are you fidgeting, Death? Why are you looking away? Why are you turning to go? Wait, Death, you have not answered my question. Where is your sting?

Where is, my sin?

What? You have no answer? But, Death, why do you have no answer? How will you terrify me, if you have no answer?

O Death, I will tell you the answer. Where is your sting? Where is my sin? It is hanging on that tree. God made Christ to be sin—my sin. When he died, the penalty of my sin was paid. The power of it was broken. I bear it no more.

Farewell, Death. You need not show up here again to frighten me. God will tell you when to come next time. And when you come, you will be his servant. For me, you will have no sting.

O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

A bunch of friends have been asking lately how we are and what’s on my mind… so I’ll tell you…

Revolution Church

This was our second week at Revolution Church in Canton, GA. I have an old college buddy who leads worship there, Thad Wood, and he’s been so supportive about getting us plugged in. I played on the worship team this week and had a great time.

Here’s why I’m so excited about Revolution Church:

-They LOVE Jesus

-They LOVE people more than they love being comfortable

-They are honest people, maybe a bit too much (if there is such a thing), but they don’t believe in beating around the bush or sugar coating things… INCLUDING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS.

-They are launching a new campus about 10 minutes from their main campus… and if you ask them why, they say, “So there are more seats for people who don’t know Jesus to sit in, hear the Gospel, and be transformed.”

I can dig that.

…details coming.