Have I told you lately how much I love you? Well, I do. It is an awesome honor to pastor such a wonderful people.

Only two regular and one handicap parking places left open on Easter Sunday! That means we had a great group of people who came to worship the risen King, but that also means we've got to do something about parking. Nice problem to have. But with this problem we have responsibilities. We have the responsibility to nurture and love those who come (you know, minister to them). We have a responsibility to turn the curious into disciples. Jesus said, “Make disciples”, not get a crowd. We need to find out what Jesus did with the crowds when they gathered around Him.

We notice in Matthew 4:23ff that He taught them the gospel and how the gospel comes to bear on their lives. The gospel is transformative and that is what we should be shooting for with our teaching and preaching. Whether we are sharing with one or two hundred, whether it is on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday night, it is a sacred time.

Jesus also met their needs. At times Jesus healed them and at other times He fed them. Over and over I read that Jesus had compassion on people and that compassion moved Him to action. He didn’t see them as numbers to be counted or potential givers; Jesus saw them as people who had genuine needs. This is going to take time and energy from all of us; we must get involved in people’s lives.

Finally, He got the other disciples involved in the ministering. While teaching the crowds He was really teaching His disciples. For example, when He fed people He asked His disciples what they would do. Their response was to send them off to get their own lunch (14:15). Because they were wrong He corrected them and got them on board with what He wanted to do. Ministry is not a one-person show; it is going to take everyone doing his or her part. What part are you playing?

Grace & Peace,

After a day of sitting on the beach on Tybee Island I have a few thoughts…

I am so thankful for these three days away with Barb. Calvary Church is a wonderful group of people to allow me to take a break with my wife. I am thoroughly convinced that this is a necessary thing we must all do from time-to-time. We need a break from the daily grind. We need time away with our family; they need to see the relaxed, having fun, non-stressed person they once knew long ago.

Listening to the waves all day reminded me of God’s endless grace in my life. Seriously, between falling asleep, chasing flies away, and putting on sun block I listened to the waves and consciously thought of God’s abundant grace. For some people the droning of waves all day is a welcome sound that soothes a restless soul and reminds us of how much God loves us – I am one such person.

The beauty of what God has created always grabs me. Savannah is a new experience for us and it has not disappointed. Whether it is cresting a hill and seeing the ocean, or sitting on the beach and watching a pod of dolphins pass, or driving at night and seeing a beautiful bridge lit up, or walking around a historic district where American history was lived, or traveling a road bordered by oak trees hanging with Spanish moss, I get so mesmerized by all that God generously shares with me. Isn’t God’s goodness wonderful and His creation beautiful?

Finally, I know that this too must come to an end. I know that I have to come back to earth, but I will have memories of this week that will last the rest of my life. I look forward to getting back to the thrilling routine of ministry; the daily grind is what God has called me to. And the sooner I get back the sooner the next break will come and the sooner I get to make new memories.

When will you get away?

Grace & Peace,

In verse 8 Peter continued to picture the destructive effect of God’s stone on unbelievers.

The “stone” is a reference to the loose stones lying around on a path over which travelers would stumble. People just can’t get around Jesus and what He did on the cross. They may reject Him, but that doesn’t mean the gospel is going to go away.

The “rock” portrays a large embedded boulder; it is a large rock that human effort cannot move. “Of offense” points to the devastating impact of that rock on unbelievers. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing (1:18).

These two designations declare that by rejecting God’s stone, men only bring about their own injury and damage. Men cannot dodge Him by their unbelief. He meets them in unexpected and unavoidable ways. Clearly Peter does not consider encounter with the gospel a casual affair, it is a matter of life or death.

Christ is too great to be neglected or avoided. For His followers, He becomes the foundation on which all life rests; where He is rejected, there is and can be only chaos and anarchy.

They continue to stumble because they disobey the word.

There is no escape for those who reject the gospel (“which is also what they were destined for”). This is an astonishing conclusion. What was happening was not outside of God’s purpose. This is God’s appointment for those who reject the gospel. Their disobedience to the divine message does not eliminate the consequence of their unbelief.