A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34 (ESV) Holy Thursday, today, is called Maundy Thursday from the Latin mandatum, or command. Jesus gave this new commandment. We are to love one another.
“ Jesus has one task — to grow his church. There is no plan B. The gates of hell will not prevail against that mission. At this time, with the front door closed to the physical church, the spiritual churches, the body of Christ, can still open hearts to prayer, wallets to charity, and themselves to serving their members. The church can show the world that Jesus’s mission continues even if Sunday service cannot right now.”. Per Erick Erickson
If the Lord wills and the quarantine is lifted, I will be teaching an adult class at Vacation Bible School at my church. I have been studying 1st Peter to use as my lessons and thank you for giving me some material in today's writing to use in my introductory remarks about Peter. You area great encouragement to me!
This was one of your best posts ever and I've been reading you for quite a while. My Bible study group was at the 20th chapter of John last night and the wonders of it hit me with renewed power.
Thank You for this beautiful Testimony of the ultimate grace and forgiving attributes of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ! Your writing are quite exceptional and I am grateful to be able to share them with so many. As gifts for some who would understand and appreciate your comments, I plan to sign them up to receive copies sent directly to them. Be Happy, Safe and, above all May You and Your Family be continually BLESSED.
I agree with your statement. It is very much reality today in America. I hate to say this, but I have decided to turn out all the negativity, for my own mental health.
Perhaps because we find ourselves in the middle of the biggest national crisis since the Civil War, one that affects every family in the nation, AND one that is denying us the ability to attend corporate worship on the holiest day of the Church calendar.
Perhaps it's because so many have more time on their hands than usual.
Here's all I have to say on this William, and it's the last thing I'm going to say on it:
It's BECAUSE the political scene is drastically impacting the worshp week of the holiest day on the Christian calendar that Erick mentioned it. His piece, you will note, is not a poitcally focused one. It is focused on a Holy Week which politics and a virus have successfully tampered with.
Nevertheless, the gates of Hell shall not prevail, ultimately, against the force of God's church, and for this, we are comforted and add that reality to the many things we have to praise God for...this week and every week.
May you be well and spritually renewed by all this week represents.
One of the things that would help our country is that if people would be willing to "agree to disagree" on both political and theological issues. That doesn't mean that either side of bipolar issues needs to give in, but rather that both sides should be willing to acknowledge differences of opinion. The point of 1 Corinthians 11:19: "No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval." is that the cost of "being right" may be more than the cost of "agreeing to peacefully disagree." Paul also makes this point in 1 Corinthians 6:7: "The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?"
The issue with the Corona models is that they are/were neither right nor wrong, but based on assumptions that are/were either true or not true. The worst case figures of 2 million US dead were based on assumptions of doing nothing. This would lead to herd immunity which requires around 60% of a population to be infected, or 200 million US residents, which translates to 2 million US deaths at a 1% fatality rate. The best case figures of Corona deaths being more like the seasonal flu (20K-70K annually) are probably the most likely case now, but only because the US has taken drastic steps to slow the spread and has spent massive amounts of money on this effort. The truth isn't that hard to understand if one is willing to accept it.
Beautiful. I'm finding that as I talk to more and more people on the other side of the aisle (I'm a Democrat and (as well as covering features and healthcare) write about the concerns of our more conservative neighbors) people are people. When they see others going hungry because they don't have money for food, our local conservatives start a free food-distribution program. Open to all, you just have to need help. Liberal therapists are donating their services, because as you say, stress is high during stay-home orders. Businesses are leaving their wifi on and eating the cost, so people without broadband can get online. (Schools have provided tablets). It helps to look out for the things folks are doing for each other, politics regardless.
It's not all happy news, of course. A local bulletin board keeps erupting as people rage at each other. Everyone is scared, and on the NY side cases and deaths are multiplying. So many know someone in NYC who has died. Our frozen economy has everyone worried here. What will happen to our small hospital when people can't pay their bills? But we will get through this. As you say, the Lord is in charge.
I agree with much of the article. I have 2 points of clarification. First, we cannot expect a fallen world to show love. Even Christians fail to show it sometimes but the world is incapable of it without the Holy Spirit. Second, I don’t agree that no one is showing love. Look at all the doctors, nurses, and other medical staffs; look at grocery store cashiers and postal workers. These folks are putting their own safety at risk for all of us. I’ve seen doctors who are staying isolated from their families so as not to risk getting them infected. That’s real love. Please don’t use a blanket statement like “no one is showing love”.
Thank you for redirecting our focus from this world's sense of importance to what is truly important and unchanging, our Savior of yesterday, today and tomorrow forevermore. May Jesus' greatest commandment of love permeate our nation. Feeling so blessed to know Him. May your weekend be blessed and filled with love.
I thought it was a good use religion for what religion is really for, modification of behavior. Well done.
But you promised for this week only that you would leave the current concerns behind.......unless I misunderstood you.
“ Jesus has one task — to grow his church. There is no plan B. The gates of hell will not prevail against that mission. At this time, with the front door closed to the physical church, the spiritual churches, the body of Christ, can still open hearts to prayer, wallets to charity, and themselves to serving their members. The church can show the world that Jesus’s mission continues even if Sunday service cannot right now.”. Per Erick Erickson
If the Lord wills and the quarantine is lifted, I will be teaching an adult class at Vacation Bible School at my church. I have been studying 1st Peter to use as my lessons and thank you for giving me some material in today's writing to use in my introductory remarks about Peter. You area great encouragement to me!
Well said, Erick. Well said indeed!
This was one of your best posts ever and I've been reading you for quite a while. My Bible study group was at the 20th chapter of John last night and the wonders of it hit me with renewed power.
Thank You for this beautiful Testimony of the ultimate grace and forgiving attributes of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ! Your writing are quite exceptional and I am grateful to be able to share them with so many. As gifts for some who would understand and appreciate your comments, I plan to sign them up to receive copies sent directly to them. Be Happy, Safe and, above all May You and Your Family be continually BLESSED.
Thank you. Well said! Inside at least 99.9%
Why are you having so much trouble leaving out “political” content when you promised that you would for this Holy Week?
Didn't really think it was that political so much as a statement of reality.
Exactly. See my reply to William just now. And I'm done.
He is risen--and that's the ultimate reality that changed everything.
As many a pastor has said,
"If Jesus Christ did not come out of that grave, nothing matters. If He DID, nothing else matters."
Blessings to you and your family...
I agree with your statement. It is very much reality today in America. I hate to say this, but I have decided to turn out all the negativity, for my own mental health.
Please know that the above was not submitted by Bart McMillian, but by a church member with whom he shared the article.
Perhaps because we find ourselves in the middle of the biggest national crisis since the Civil War, one that affects every family in the nation, AND one that is denying us the ability to attend corporate worship on the holiest day of the Church calendar.
I did not promise to leave these things behind just for this week.....Erick did.
Why is everyone so "fussy"?
So pick-apart every word from every other person?
It gets so tiresome.
Perhaps it's because so many have more time on their hands than usual.
Here's all I have to say on this William, and it's the last thing I'm going to say on it:
It's BECAUSE the political scene is drastically impacting the worshp week of the holiest day on the Christian calendar that Erick mentioned it. His piece, you will note, is not a poitcally focused one. It is focused on a Holy Week which politics and a virus have successfully tampered with.
Nevertheless, the gates of Hell shall not prevail, ultimately, against the force of God's church, and for this, we are comforted and add that reality to the many things we have to praise God for...this week and every week.
May you be well and spritually renewed by all this week represents.
Amen and Amen and Thank you
One of the things that would help our country is that if people would be willing to "agree to disagree" on both political and theological issues. That doesn't mean that either side of bipolar issues needs to give in, but rather that both sides should be willing to acknowledge differences of opinion. The point of 1 Corinthians 11:19: "No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval." is that the cost of "being right" may be more than the cost of "agreeing to peacefully disagree." Paul also makes this point in 1 Corinthians 6:7: "The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?"
The issue with the Corona models is that they are/were neither right nor wrong, but based on assumptions that are/were either true or not true. The worst case figures of 2 million US dead were based on assumptions of doing nothing. This would lead to herd immunity which requires around 60% of a population to be infected, or 200 million US residents, which translates to 2 million US deaths at a 1% fatality rate. The best case figures of Corona deaths being more like the seasonal flu (20K-70K annually) are probably the most likely case now, but only because the US has taken drastic steps to slow the spread and has spent massive amounts of money on this effort. The truth isn't that hard to understand if one is willing to accept it.
Beautiful. I'm finding that as I talk to more and more people on the other side of the aisle (I'm a Democrat and (as well as covering features and healthcare) write about the concerns of our more conservative neighbors) people are people. When they see others going hungry because they don't have money for food, our local conservatives start a free food-distribution program. Open to all, you just have to need help. Liberal therapists are donating their services, because as you say, stress is high during stay-home orders. Businesses are leaving their wifi on and eating the cost, so people without broadband can get online. (Schools have provided tablets). It helps to look out for the things folks are doing for each other, politics regardless.
It's not all happy news, of course. A local bulletin board keeps erupting as people rage at each other. Everyone is scared, and on the NY side cases and deaths are multiplying. So many know someone in NYC who has died. Our frozen economy has everyone worried here. What will happen to our small hospital when people can't pay their bills? But we will get through this. As you say, the Lord is in charge.
I agree with much of the article. I have 2 points of clarification. First, we cannot expect a fallen world to show love. Even Christians fail to show it sometimes but the world is incapable of it without the Holy Spirit. Second, I don’t agree that no one is showing love. Look at all the doctors, nurses, and other medical staffs; look at grocery store cashiers and postal workers. These folks are putting their own safety at risk for all of us. I’ve seen doctors who are staying isolated from their families so as not to risk getting them infected. That’s real love. Please don’t use a blanket statement like “no one is showing love”.
Thank you for redirecting our focus from this world's sense of importance to what is truly important and unchanging, our Savior of yesterday, today and tomorrow forevermore. May Jesus' greatest commandment of love permeate our nation. Feeling so blessed to know Him. May your weekend be blessed and filled with love.