The Last Supper, The First Day

The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

Those who want to be great, must become servant of all.

In order to save your life, you must lose it.
Paradoxical. It’s one way to describe the faith.

And today is the day we historically remember that Jesus instituted the “Last Supper”… I wonder how paradoxical that is as well?

He changed all the meanings of the Passover meal to this new celebration of Christ’s sacrifice, suffering and new covenant.

He changed the Last Supper of the Passover, to the first supper of the church age.

And with that, like a meteor striking the surface of a distant planet sending shockwaves in every direction, completely unstoppable, this “Last” Supper paradoxically generated a new world of firsts.

  • The Firstborn among the dead.
  • Our first hope beyond the grave.
  • Humanity’s first entrance into the Holy of Holys.
  • The first Advocate for us in the throne room of grace itself.
  • The first Sacrifice to completely satisfy.
  • The first and only work to bring redemption, restoration, reconciliation, resurrection!

He is the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
He is our Savior.

The last supper calls us to remember his body broken as bread crumbling in the hands of the disciples. It calls us to remember His blood spilled out in sacrifice as we drink the cup of the new covenant.

A cup that represents a peace treaty between humanity and it’s failed war against the Creator of the heavens.

The last supper.

The garden prayer.

The mockery of a trial.

The humiliation of the cross.

The temple veil torn.

The disciples gathered, afraid.

The stone rolled away.

The empty tomb.

Jesus is risen!

The first day of our eternity.

 

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Beginnings Week 12 – Doubt

This is part of a 12-week series designed around some basic Christian disciplines that will propel you to spiritual growth!

If the above player does not work for you, simply click this link:  DOUBT

Here is the podcast above in a nutshell…

Welcome back to Beginnings where we are learning the basic disciplines of the faith. Congratulations! You have arrived at week 12 and have completed this foundational course. I hope it’s been a blessing to you.
But, before you go, let’s tackle one more important issue in the life of a believer: doubt.
Doubt is the unspoken bond of those who have faith, a commonality for every believer everywhere.
We keep it covered and hidden afraid others might know, but the truth is that doubt is one of the most typical human attributes you can name.
The world was astounded a few years ago when some of Mother Theresa’s letters expressed some moments of doubt… I was encouraged. I felt a little bit more like her!
A simple definition of doubt is to be uncertain about something.
It is not contradictory to have a strong faith that struggles with moments of doubt.
It seems that it would be nearly impossible never to experience doubt about something that requires faith. By its very nature, faith is going to invite some levels of doubt because it’s not about certainty or something that can be physically/scientifically proven.
So, when it comes to doubt, you are not alone.
St. John of the Cross, one of our Christian forefathers, expressed the sentiment known as the “dark night (of the soul)” when describing a spiritual crisis on a journey towards union with God.
Everybody has one of those dark nights.
At the very least every believer experiences buyer’s remorse. You know that feeling that maybe you bit off more than you can chew. That if you had a do-over you might do it differently. After you bought that big car, new house, or even when you said,”I do.”
It’s natural to second-guess yourself when you’ve made a big decision.
So, how do we combat doubt. Proverbs 3:5-8 has some helpful tips for us:
  • Lean on God – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
  • Invite God into all arenas of your life – “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
  • Admit your weaknesses – “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”
  • Wait on Him – “It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”
So, let’s get practical and real about what we should do when we experience doubt:
  • Pray, and be honest with God.
  • Confess it to a friend to pray with and encourage you.
  • Seek comfort in the Bible.
Thank you so much for being a part of Beginnings, and make sure to check out the podcast for more details.

 

Seeking more of Him and less of me,

Andy Addis
Pastor, CrossPoint Church
John 3:30

Beginnings Week 11 – Worship

This is part of a 12-week series designed around some basic Christian disciplines that will propel you to spiritual growth!

If the above player does not work for you, simply click this link:  Worship

Here is the podcast above in a nutshell…

Welcome back to Beginnings where we are learning the basic disciplines of the Christian faith! We have focused on a variety of issues from giving to serving, from praying to sharing and beyond. Now, let’s turn our attention to a word used all the time, but understood very seldom: worship.

It may seem odd to talk about worship as a discipline, but it is important we differentiate from the way we typically use the word. We use worship as a word to describe things that it is not. So, let’s define worship. What is it?

Worship is not necessarily religious, but it is anything that consumes your attentions and affections. So, the purpose of Christian worship is to direct those attentions and affections toward Him.

Psalm 95:6 says, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”

Sometimes we can more clearly see what something is once we’ve ruled out what it is not:

  • Worship is not music. There’s nothing sacred about a guitar played in a certain way, or a note sung from the pages of a hymnal. Music can be worshipful, but the same song that is worshipful in one context may not be in another simply because worship is not in the music itself.
  • Worship is not a service. It’s common vernacular to say we’re going to a worship service, and while it’s possible that worship takes place in that timeslot at that location, just because it’s on the sign does not mean it’s worship. You can worship in a crowd, or you can worship all alone.
  • Worship is not a style. A churchy feel, a reverent atmosphere, and all the necessary bits of an aesthetic that make you feel like you’re in a worship environment may lead the person to a place of worship, but it does not guarantee that worship takes place.

Worship is a spiritual act of service, a response, a sacrifice, an outpouring
So, this means that a Christian can worship anywhere and at all times, you don’t have to wait for the perfect storm. Worship is not external; it emerges from the internal.

Let’s see this dramatically portrayed in King Davids life from 2 Samuel 6:14–15.

Worship is Passionate – “And David danced before the Lord with all his might.”

Worship is Unashamed – “And David was wearing a linen ephod.”

Worship is Focused – “So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord…”

Worship is Celebration – “With shouting and with the sound of the horn.”

So what do we do…

  • Be intentional – you can worship anywhere, so don’t let yourself be distracted or require anything other than your own appreciation and thankfulness for who God is.
  • Prioritize opportunities – make gathering with other believers a priority, don’t miss out and come with expectation.
  • Prepare -when you know you will have an opportunity to worship, Ask God to prepare your heart. Confess your sins, check your attitude and come into the opportunity with the hope that you will encounter God.

Thank you so much for being a part of Beginnings, and make sure to check out the podcast for more details.

Seeking more of Him and less of me,

Andy Addis
Pastor, CrossPoint Church
John 3:30

Beginnings Week 10 – Missions

This is part of a 12-week series designed around some basic Christian disciplines that will propel you to spiritual growth!

If the above player does not work for you, simply click this link: Missions

Here is the podcast above in a nutshell…

Welcome back to Beginnings where this week we continue our spiritual journey!

Already, we have challenged ourselves with new disciplines like Bible study, prayer, sharing our faith, Christian community, etc. 

This week we move on to the topic, share your faith: missions.

Truly, God’s people are a mobile people as story after story in the Bible includes the word “GO!” That’s why I believe that the true church is a ‘sending’ church. A church that must be more interested in it’s sending capacity than it’s seating capacity.

This appears to be the heart of our Lord as He gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus got even more specific about outreach in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In this passage, Jesus clearly identified three tiers of missions, which you can imagine as concentric circles:

  • Jerusalem – local, right where you live.
  • Judea/Samaria – culturally connected but not home.
  • Ends of the Earth – everywhere else

At first, this may seem a bit overwhelming, but that’s just because it is. Make no mistake this is a huge responsibility, so we need a plan of attack.

What are the options:

Pray – Pray for missions work here, there and everywhere. Adopt a missionary family, global need, a unique region in prayer and make it your heart cry.

Give– when you regularly bring your offering to CrossPoint you can know that more than 10% of what you bring goes straight back out to the mission field. We practice the tithe as a church! Additionally, there are several opportunities throughout each year to give to mission causes.   

 

Go– Take a trip. Each year CrossPoint offers ministry excursions nationally and internationally. It’s your opportunity to take part in missions at whatever comfort level and costs you can incur. A mission trip is a great opportunity to live out your faith, make a difference in another place and grow spiritually yourself.

So, let’s make it simple and challenge ourselves with a few new disciplines:

  1. Investigate options – Make sure a mission you are contributing to at any level is a good thing.
  2. Pray and ask God to lead – He wants you on the field at some level, so He won’t keep it a secret if you ask!
  3. Start local and go global – Don’t wait to be missionary when you travel. Start now, remembering that wherever you are is your Jerusalem and God has already placed you on that mission field.

Don’t forget to check out the podcast for more info and we’ll see you back here for more Beginnings next week!

Seeking more of Him and less of me,

Andy Addis
Pastor, CrossPoint Church
John 3:30

Beginnings Week 9 – Disciple Making

This is part of a 12-week series designed around some basic Christian disciplines that will propel you to spiritual growth!

If the above player does not work for you, simply click this link: Disciple Making

Here is the podcast above in a nutshell…

Welcome to Beginnings! We have been on a journey challenging ourselves with some of the basics of Christian discipline. This week we continue under the heading of Share your Life: making disciples.

The purpose of a believer staying here in this world, and not being immediately swept up into the heavens is that we are called to multiply, to reproduce. This means we should make disciples, and not just converts.

There is a substantial difference between someone who believes they’re a Christian and someone who has been trained to live the Christian life.

Jesus expressed this in the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

We see several elements here: going out, making disciples, baptizing, teaching, etc. The essence of this process is moving from information to transformation.

Here are some of the basic elements of Christian disciple-making, or how disciples make disciples:

  • Pray for others – Colossians 1:9 – 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
  • Live life with others – Acts 2:42-47 – 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
  • Challenge others – Hebrews 10:24 (ESV) – 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.
  • Serve with others – Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

So what are some practical steps to becoming a reproducing disciple?

  1. Be intentional. Decide right now your spiritual life will multiply, make a disciple.
  2. Dedicate yourself to prayer, asking God to help you identify someone specific to share the gospel with and to train in the Christian life.
  3. Move from consumer to producer by bringing someone along in the day-to-day of your life. Let them pray, serve and live life with you as you open your life to theirs.

Make sure to check out the podcast for more on this topic and then start becoming a disciple that makes disciples!

Seeking more of Him and less of me,

Andy Addis
Pastor, CrossPoint Church
John 3:30