Good Friday is probably the best known day of Holy Week. Some schools still dismiss to honor the holiday, and it's one of the core moments of Christianity. 

Some people make the cross THE core. I think that may be somewhat misguided for several reasons. 1. I like to think that there was more to Jesus than just death (something we all can do). 2. Without the resurrection Jesus is just another dead deity. 3. The cross as the core puts everything on Jesus and there is a responsibility that every follower has in response to Christ. 4. No one at the time saw the power of God at that moment, except the centurion (that in no way means power was absent, just unseen and deniable). The power of God cannot be avoided upon the resurrection of Jesus, by those eye witnesses and even today. 

Don't get me wrong the cross is extremely important. It is prophesied about and God did not save Jesus from that reality. It reminds us Jesus is human and teaches us the fullness of God's love. And I can also argue that raising the importance of the cross is due to the fact of the resurrection and maybe I'm splitting hairs. 

But being Crucifixed (fixated only on crucifixion) has at least two dangers. 

1. We can become so fixated on the crucifixion and what Jesus did that we feel no pull or tug on our lives to be true disciples of Christ because we place all responsibility and response on Jesus. 

2. We can easily neglect the entire story of God for only a small (although of high importance) piece. We won't see the need to pour over the Torah or be amazed at the prophets proclamations. We won't find genealogies fascinating and we won't have much use for serving others and following Paul's exhortations. 

This is why on Good Friday we challenge ourselves to live Cruciformed (formed by the crucifixion) lives. Then we see our place in the story. We answer the call to true discipleship (not just church membership). We lived shaped by God because he gave his only Son for our sin and for us to live Kingdom Lives. 

Now that's a Good Friday!

Good Friday Readings: Matthew 27:32-56, Luke 23:26-49
Challenge: write down 3 ways you live a Cruciformed life. 
Write down 3 more/different ways you could live a Cruciformed life

While evil lurked on Wednesday, Intimacy, compassion, and prayer rule on Thursday.  There is a great deal of things that happen on Thursday.  It is probably the busiest day of Holy Week.  Jesus breaks bread with his disciples (Last Supper), calls Judas out, washes his disciples feet, spends half the night in prayer, and before the hours tick into Friday is betrayed and arrested.

Jesus sends his apostles to make preparations for the passover meal and while they eat, he institutes a meal that my tradition commemorates every Sunday and every Christian church celebrates at some time.  In the midst of what is to come and betrayal that is at hand, Jesus takes time to have a meal and share with his closest friends, all the while giving them something that they will be able to hold onto even after his death, after his resurrection, and after his ascension.  The meal still holds today for the church.  This is not a funeral dirge type meal.  It is festive and meaningful.  There is laughter at the table, stories being told.  There is also anxiety and many questions.  Jesus takes the opportunity to finally set up what God has been wanting to do this entire time.  Jesus is being set as the savior and focus of God as the true Messiah that demands our attention and our worship forevermore.  The bread is his body that will go on the cross as human.  The cup is the blood that will be shed not to save himself, but to save all of humanity.  This simple act of making something everyday, meaningful takes Jesus from head knowledge, something to be grasped, into a true savior that through his own flesh and blood becomes our gateway to God and a one-time sacrifice...our victor! 

In an act of complete compassion and humility, Jesus takes the form of a servant, the lowest of servants, and gets down on his knees and picks up the dirty, nasty feet of his closest friends and disciples and begins with a towel and wash basin to change their souls from darkness and void to pure and Spirit infused.  This one act of servanthood along with a command to follow this kind of way, gives us just what we need to know of Jesus.  He did not come on Horse for war, he came on a donkey of peace.  He didn't come to condemn and tear us down so we had no choice out of weakness to follow, but he came with tenderness and love to draw us into God's true nature.  He came gently and would leave in brutality as a human.  But as Divine he was in the beginning and would return for eternity.  Life is not lived on a high and exalted platform, but on one's knees with the dirt of the world under their nose, so the stench of the world can be overtaken by the aroma of a perfect, compassionate, humble Christ.  And only Jesus can wipe the nastiness of our life away, and yet finds us completely capable to do the same for others.  That's the way of Christ, whether we can comprehend it or not.

Jesus is right where we would expect him to be as those come to betray and arrest.  He is with His father in intimate prayer.  This is a lesson to us all.  Jesus in the midst of giving up his very own life for the salvation of humanity takes time to pray.  It's pure.  It's earnest.  It's holy.  If there were ever a call on our lives to pray, it is the example that Jesus leaves us before he left us.  Pray and do it with your full being.  Jesus prays for God's will, His obedience, His disciples, His enemies, and the world.  What a humbling notion, to think that our very names were on Christ's lips before he gave his final breath up on the cross.  That could change how we live for him.  And well it should!

Maundy Thursday Readings:  Matthew 26:17-27:26, John 13:1-38
Challenge:  Rise up and show compassion to those "less" than you.  Pray in great Earnest for the Kingdom of God and His will.  Share a meal with those you love and let Jesus be the focus

The Wednesday of Holy Week is sometimes been referred to as the day of Silence.  Simply because there is no recorded action or event involving Jesus directly.  However, something is happening on Wednesday.  It is a day when idle hands become the devil's handiwork.

This entire week evil is lurking about as Jesus makes his way from a festive parade in his honor to a grave sealed out of contempt.  I love the movie the Passion of the Christ, because from time to time we see the ghastly image of Satan and evil lurking around as the events of this last week of Jesus' life before his death and resurrection unfold.  This day of Holy Week is unsettling and challenging.

Evil is on the move.  Judas has fully given over to his own greed and makes plans with the chief priests.  What is telling is that Judas approaches them and sees the chance at a great business proposition.  Evil has entered his heart and the darkness that has encircled his soul dims any hope of what we all know is to come.  Jesus is sold out for 30 pieces of silver, about 4 months worth of wages.  For the average American household this would be somewhat under $17,000.  Maybe if Jesus wouldn't have given him such a hard time at the anointing.  Maybe if Judas had been compensated better.  Maybe if he would have been voted class secretary instead of treasurer.  No!  That's the thing about Evil.  If it fills the heart, encircles the soul, and drives the actions it won't matter, you have lost control and you will give yourself to its enticing stench.  Judas becomes the Anakin Skywalker of Jesus' council and allows hate, pride, jealously, greed, and irrational feelings overcome him and turn his ways to dark.

So how can we read Matthew 26:14-16 and want to celebrate this event on a week we call, Holy!  Because even when evil is on the move, it does not take into consideration what good and holiness can bring about.  Yes, evil may be on the move, but it is playing into the hand of the Almighty God, who does not create evil, but can unveil its ugliness and expose its wretchedness only to allow good and purity to rise to the top.

Judas plays his part and sells out Jesus with the intent to hand him over to his enemies.  It is Judas, though, that will give a significant push that will put things in motion where Jesus dies and the full power of God is seen in his ultimate resurrection. Evil may have been lurking, but it is its nature to fall to pride and when it falls God has overcome...once and for all!

Holy Wednesday Readings:  Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:3-6
Challenge:  Look introspectively for ways that you might purge evil from your own life and pray for God to bring his glory in all situations.

What if you knew that this would be your last Tuesday with Jesus?  What would you do with Him.  How would you respond to Him?  On the Tuesday of Jesus' last week before his crucifixion and resurrection, there were people spending time critiquing, learning, and anointing.

On Holy Tuesday we are reminded that Jesus had authority to teach about his father, God.  It didn't matter whether or not the chief priests, teachers, and elders believed him.  They thought they cornered the market on knowledge of God and law.  They definitely knew ABOUT God and law, but they didn't KNOW God.  Jesus knew His father and in this last week leading up to his death and resurrection, he does a great amount of teaching to set some things up and to set some things straight.

I love how the gospel, Matthew, shares so much of this teaching.  He loads it on and we get to see Jesus' heart and exactly how he reflects God to the people.  I encourage you to read through Matthew 21:23-25:36.

The last big scene we see with Jesus on Tuesday is his anointing.  Mary comes and pours pure nard over him.  The fragrance fills the room and in an act of complete humility and love she wipes his feet with her hair.  And of course no good deed goes unpunished.  With a great indignant spirit, some that were there call this woman out and make a case for the poor.  Matthew says disciples.  Mark says some that were present.  John calls out Judas as the indignant voice.  It doesn't matter who, the problem is still the problem.  The ones who should get it, don't and those that should be furthest from godly things, run to it.  

Today we must keep in consideration that when Jesus taught, he was trying to reflect the full nature of God.  He wanted to share what the Kingdom truly was and what it could continue to be even after he leaves.

Also, we must realize that we must run to God.  We must see Jesus for who He really is.  We must learn in humility and then worship him, even if it is with tears.

Tuesday Readings:  Matthew 21:23-25:36, Mark 11:27-14:11
Challenge:  Examine our lives and what we believe about Jesus and listen for God's call on our lives

This was not a good day to be on Jesus' bad side.  On the Monday of Holy Week, Jesus sets things straight for the Temple and curses the fig tree.

This may be why Mondays are so bad still today.  Maybe it all started when Jesus walked into the temple and saw how people were desecrating the holiness of God in such a public way.  People had not come to worship and give glory to God and revere him as the father.  They had come to make some cash.  In reality, they weren't interested in God at all and were willing to help their poorer Jewish neighbors give a sacrifice at passover, but for a price.  This was a great weekend to make some money.  300,000 to 400,000 Jews would be ascending on Jerusalem to celebrate passover and many of these travelers would need something to sacrifice.  And if they were poor, then all the better.  Jesus was at the end of his rope and could not stand to see how disrespectful people were to God, his house, and his prized creation...his people.  On a side note, this wasn't the first time the temple had been treated with such contempt.  In Nehemiah's day (Neh. 13) the temple was being treated with disrespect when Tobiah had been given a room in the temple.  Do I need to rethink my office at the church building?  No, Tobiah shouldn't have been there because it was Law that no Ammonite or Moabite should be admitted into the assembly of God, because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them (Neh. 13:1-2)  Not only had Eliashib provided a room for Tobiah in the courts of God, but had also neglected the Levites and the portions they were to be receiving.  So what does Nehemiah do about such a travesty on the house of God.  "I was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room.  I gave orders to purify the rooms, and then I put back into them the equipment of the house of God, with the grain offerings and the incense." (Neh. 13:8-9)  He then called upon Judah to bring tithes and take care of the neglect of the Levites.  There is a lot more going on here too as Nehemiah tries to reestablish the temple of God.  But back to Jesus...what does he do about the crimes against God's house? "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.  'It is written', he said to them, 'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'" (Matthew 21:12-13)  Jesus was angry!  But he had a right to be angry.  Just like the day of Nehemiah, Jews had forgotten what it meant to be at the temple in the presence of the Lord.  They forgot their worship.  They forgot his holiness.  It was a bad day to be on Jesus' bad side.

You know its a Monday when you go to get a fig and the tree hasn't bore any fruit.  So what does Jesus do about this?  He curses the tree and right then it withers (Matthew 21)

And before Monday can get away let's make these connections.  It isn't necessarily about commerce or fruitless trees.  This is about faith and the realization for Jesus that Friday will have to come, because the people who should be closest to God, don't have a clue who they worship or why.  They need to drive away the distractions that have made God something he is not.  They need to dig deep for an ounce of faith that doesn't depend on human ability, but the power of God.  They need to realize that the Messiah is right in front of them and instead of always taking a cynical look at God's message and messenger, they must trust in the God that has chosen them, given them life, and provided them a savior.

As we think about Holy Week and especially the Monday of Holy Week, we must focus on the fact that God is to be our focus of worship, that faith is real, and that Jesus is our Savior...now and forevermore!

Holy Week Monday Meditation:  Matthew 21:12-22, Mark 11:12-26, Luke 19:45-48

God rides in on a donkey.  What?  Why doesn't God ride in on a horse.  After all He is the great God who can do anything and all powerful.  Well, plain and simple, a horse is an animal of war and a donkey is an animal of peace.  So God rides in on a donkey.

It doesn't mean that there is not a battle.  There is!  A cosmic battle...spiritual warfare where the crowd is torn between Hosanna and pre-meditative murder.  There is also the idea that the people who actually knew Jesus (those riding into Jerusalem with him) and the people who came out to meet him, thought that they were laying down palm branches and cloaks for a King that would take Israel, where it always has wanted to be...Over All Other Nations.

But Jesus didn't come so that Jews would have civic power or political domination.  Jesus came so that Jews and Gentiles alike could be reconciled back to God, once and for all.  Jesus came for peace.  A peace that passes our understanding.  A peace that brings hope back to the people.  Maybe not the hope they wanted, but the hope they needed. 

He came in triumph.  He hadn't even had his final battle yet.  That was to come at the end of the week.  And the ultimate victory would come the following Sunday.  It was a battle no one could conceive was coming.  It was the end of the war and yet, in all the celebration, in all the parade and fanaticism...people rightfully gave praise, even if it was for an entirely different and maybe wrong-headed reason.

The world will always be at war.  We fight battles every day.  We fight for the rights of the oppressed.  We fight to keep our value systems strong and in place.  We fight terrorists as a nation.  We fight personal demons of sin.  And we fight for the Kingdom of God.  But Jesus didn't go around bombing clinics, hating those who sin, or using the poor and needy as a way to make himself look holier.  Jesus came with an extra measure of peace...and the world hated him for it.

The world wanted war and a king that could drive out those in power. The Jews wanted a Messiah to free them from bondage of other rulers so that they could control their own destiny (which in their minds would surely help them redirect their nation and people back to purity with God).  But Jesus didn't come to change the world.  He came to save it.  He came to save it from itself.  He came to save the prisoner and the free.  He came to save the wealthy and the poor.  He came to save the oppressed and the advantaged.  He came to save the lost and the godly.

And when Jesus comes to save he rides a donkey.  Now who saw that coming?

I love slam poetry.  Propaganda is one of the best.  Since I've been blogging about the Gospel.  I thought I would share this.

There was a lot of talk this past week about the Vatican conclave choosing a new Pope.  It was all over my Facebook and Twitter feeds.  There were prayers being sent, information being reported, but mostly witty comments and jokes being made.  I saw several of my friends making tweets about waiting for the call from the vatican.  This is all good humor.  One of my favorite humorous posts comes from a friend in Abilene, 
"Add a Sorting Hat and you have the makings of an 8th Harry Potter." 
Then there were many comments about the smoke and how that would communicate the decision.  Of course after the selection of Pope Francis, there was much good said about him and now the critics are having their voice.  But what I really want to share on my blog is about this idea of closing yourself off to the public and being vulnerable before God about your decisions. I love humor, so I get this comment and others and have laughed in jest with the different quips and ideas.  This is flattery and all of these kinds of comments must be kept in perspective that humor is okay.  It is fun and does not take away from seriousness of the event. But there is truth in every joke and the amount of comments, mostly from protestants, shows that we have our suspicions about the idea of this secret meeting and its reliance upon the Spirit.

Say what you want about Catholicism, Pro or con, I love this move they make to consort with God, the Holy Spirit.  All Christians should be this bold with the decisions we make regarding our spiritual direction.  I have long been a critic of considering God and praying for us to have a good parking spot or something of this insignificant nature.  It's not that I don't appreciate a good parking spot or a nice house, or don't want to win American Idol or the lottery, but it's that there are some things that either happen or don't happen, not necessarily due to God's providence, but just due to how things fall.  I want all Christians to put their hope in things above and count on the moving the Holy Spirit, but the promises of God aren't for us to have comfortable, easy lives.  The promise of God is that His son will return and that he has prepared a new Promised Land that will last for eternity and we are invited.  So while I accept the leading of the Holy Spirit, I reject that God intended for us to have a parking spot closest to the mall in mind as he commanded us to follow his crucified, resurrected son and to pray in his name.  There is more at stake than that in the Kingdom.  The Holy Spirit is at work and we need to open ourselves to His leading.  I think that's exactly what the Cardinals were doing during the conclave.

This opens a huge can of worms and room for great pondering.  What does God genuinely care about?  Well, he cares about his creation.  He cares about His kingdom.  He cares about His people (please read all people).  I hope this isn't over simplified.  Within each of these there are other ideas to explore.  Kingdom has so much wrapped up in it, just like creation, and just like people.  In biblical times you wouldn't find an Israelite or a follower of Christ who separated out their religious world, their social world, their work world, and their private/family world.  These were all combined in how they lived and what they did.  So when they were sick, they had sinned against God.  When they were rich, wealthy, and healthy, they were following close to God and listening to His ways.  Nowadays we take these worlds and we separate them.  God is at church or when we say, "Bless You."  We make our money at work and it is through our determination to the job, the hours we put in, and the way we lead that gives us our paycheck (as opposed to our following of God).  Friends are in our social planes (virtual or real) and we have success in relationships based on our own feelings, happenings, or support given.  And our family is found in our home behind our front door, within our fenced-in yard, and plastered on our Christmas card.  When we get sick its a virus or an infection.  When we get a raise it's because we have done good work.  When we fail, it is because we made poor choices, or someone else did, or because it wasn't the right time or opportunity.  Okay, I've stepped on some toes here and I have made some grand generalizations and to the negative side of humanity.  I get that and its all for this point.  We need to bring all of those worlds together under God.  We need to explore what God wants for not just us individually, but for us as a people (do I dare use the term church here).  We need to barricade ourselves off from the world sometimes to call on God and to seek His will and His direction.

When we hire ministers, select deacons, call elders, place membership, promote discipleship, serve those in need, send missionaries, collect an offering, or chart a vision we need to remove distractions and call on the Holy Spirit.  So many times we make decisions in churches based on how it will impact attendance, finances, moods, or outside appearances.  That's why we need to be called to a private, holy, space and allow for our focus and question to be what is best for the Kingdom and what does God want for us.  Then when the decision has been made we can send the smoke into the sky knowing we have given it over to God and his leading and we follow his plan.  Maybe then our different worlds will collide and what we see done in our churches, even when done in private, we can take home with us and allow for God to lead us there too and all over the world.  Where there is Spirit, there is God.

I know this song is about dying, but I love it and the Spirit is moving in the sky and on the ground!

Michael?, Michael?, Michael Mercer? He's not here today (someone in the room).
Even though I had very few of these days at school, I would imagine that is how it went. I've had very few of those days in ministry as well.

But today I'm absent. No the church won't be calling roll. But since I'm the preacher, everyone knows.

Today I will not get up and address the church. I won't tell any stories. I won't take a crowd through any biblical teaching. And I won't give a challenge to make our Monday different.

But today I'm still preaching. Today I preach with actions over words. Today I'm preaching a sermon to my children that dad thinks his responsibility as a spiritual leader is of vital importance in his own home. Today I'm preaching through the act of taking time off to spend time with my family and extend care to my wife and my beautiful (now 3) children. For two weeks I will stay home. No office time, no pulpit time, no visitations. This will allow me to bond with my new daughter, give some much needed attention to my twin boys, and give love and care to my amazing wife.

This will be my preaching for the next two weeks. My time with my family will be my sermons. It is a balance that far too often leans one way more than the other. If I'm honest I cheat on my family with work way too often.

These two weeks will also be a sermon to myself. Family is important. If you can't be present for your family, you can't be present for your church. So I will focus on being present for my family and allow THAT to be my sermon and a gift to my family and the church.

Am I absent from preaching? Physically? Yes! Spiritually? I'm right where I need to be.

Name: Brynn Leigh Beth Mercer (Brynn Leigh)
Date of Birth: 3/7/13
Weight: 6lbs 7oz
Height: 19"

Dear Brynn Leigh,
Your mom and I are so elated that you have made your way into this world.  It hasn't been easy and at first we weren't sure we would ever see little pink dresses in our house.  For over 3 years we prayed constantly for God to bless us with another child and if he could, a girl.  Finally, when we had just about given up all hope, we found out we were pregnant with you.  At week 16 we found out that you were a little girl.  Your mom was incredibly ill throughout her pregnancy and you continued to fight and grow.  You made it, like a champ!  And now on the day of your birth we have fell deeply in love with you.

You have two big brothers who are sensitive, silly, bossy at times, and tough.  You will never have to worry when they are around.  They will always take care of you!  I can't wait to see you all play together and hang out together.

There is more to say about your mom than I have space.  Let's just say that she's perfect!  She is caring, compassionate, fair, creative, funny, kind, servant-hearted, and loving!  You and her will be best friends.  And you will aspire to be like her...and that's a good thing.

I'm not perfect!  I'm far from it.  I promise though, that everything I do, I do in love and out of great care.  I can be strong and firm, and also gentle.  I am pretty silly and love to make people laugh.  I cry, so be prepared.  I will cry when you get older, I'll cry when I walk you down the isle, and I'll cry when you have your own children.  I promise to love you with all my heart.  But most of all, I promise to teach you Jesus.  To teach with my words and the stories we read and to teach you with the way I live my life.  I am nothing without God.  He takes me as I am and molds me into something greater.  He will do the same for you.  But for now, you are perfect and are the perfect reflection of the Holy Father, the Holy Son, the Holy Spirit!

So today as I look into your eyes, I see the fullness of God's glory and once again I'm amazed by His grace, His light, and His love!

Welcome to our family!  We are glad you are here and we long to journey our entire lives beside you!  And Welcome to your extended family full of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.  And Welcome to an even greater family...God's family!  They are the ones who will spiritually journey with you into eternity.  And one day you will make your choice to follow Jesus with your life and be baptized into his death and into his eternal life.  And on that day you know what...I'll cry!

Dear God,
Help Brynn Leigh to grow strong and healthy.  In Jesus' Name, Amen!