What are You Looking For?

Have you thought about Easter yet?  Believe it or not, Easter is two weeks and two days from now.  Sixteen days.  Wow.

As I've been praying about our Easter service, a scripture came to my mind:

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them,

“What are you looking for?”  

- John 1:35-38

That really caught my attention, "what are you looking for?"  Truth is, everyone is looking for something.  I supposed Annie Lennox was on to something with her 1983 hit "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), singing "I travel the world and the seven seas, Everybody's looking for something..."

I remember listening to that song on MTV, sitting in my house in Imperial Beach California, all tweaked out on a cocktail of mind-altering substances. See, I was looking for something, I just didn't know what it was I was looking for.  I thought I was looking for fun, pleasure, love, excitement, money... I tried so many things, and they all came up empty. I never found what that 'one thing' that I desired, until I myself was found by God.

God must have looked down and, seeing me, thought "what a pity, traveling the seven seas, looking for something, and what he really needs is right before him - ME!" In His mercy He reached out and touched my life, and in the process connected me with the one thing that I needed so badly; A relationship with my creator!

Guys, we are surrounded by an entire culture that is seeking, looking, experimenting, trying to find some sense of belonging, looking to be satisfied, searching for that one thing that will make all things new.  And guess what, WE HAVE THE ANSWER:  Jesus Christ!

I want to encourage you now to start praying TODAY for who you will invite to our Easter services at Calvary Chapel.  The theme this year is "Searching,"  because we know people are searching, and want to help them find the answer that will satisfy them for all of eternity.  Be specific.  Pray for the Lord to open an opportunity.  Pray for boldness.  Pray that God would open their eyes.

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Birth of New Life

The past two Sundays we have been examining Jesus Christ, looking to scripture to understand who He really is.  So far we have looked at the PROMISE that we have in Christ, the promise of eternal life.  We have looked at His Kingship, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who entered Jerusalem in 32 AD and presented Himself to the Jewish nation as the promised Messiah. Yet God’s people didn’t see it, didn’t get it, and didn't receive Him.  Five days after Jesus entered the city, the Jewish leaders, with support from the people, and under the authority of the Roman government, sentenced Jesus to the most severe punishment that was available:  Scourging, and crucifixion. We read the account in Matthew 27:

And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

“They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”

Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
(Matt 27:31-37)

This Sunday is Easter, the day that Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. 

Now, had Jesus been just another man, just another prophet, just a great teacher, this would have been the end of His story.

In Matthew 21, when Jesus had come into the city, the people wondered: “who is He?”  To me, the events that transpired after the crucifixion answer that question:  Jesus is the Son of God.  He is the promised Messiah.  He is the Anointed One.  He is the King of Kings.  He is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Folks, we serve a LIVING GOD – not a dead prophet.  He rose from the grave, He is alive, and He brings life to all that will accept Him.  If Jesus didn't rise from the grave, we as Christians are the most misled and pitiful people on earth.  But because He rose from the grave, we are the most joyful, hopeful, and powerful people on earth.  At least we should be.

Join us Sunday, as we look at part II of our Dawn of Life series, “The Birth of New Life.”

Pastor Clay