Take a good hard look

1 So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He's the centerpiece of everything we believe, 2 faithful in everything God gave him to do.
Heb 3:1-2 (MSG)

We're about to begin Holy Week here at New Hope. But then I hope we made last week a "holy" week too. Looking at the rows of empty chairs as I pray for the Holy Spirit to fill the sanctuary this morning, I realize that if this past week was made "holy" - set apart for God - it didn't happen here.

It happened in homes, classrooms, offices.
It happened as we worked, played, loved, laughed.
It happened inside and outside, during the morning, evening and night...

...as we lived and loved as much like Jesus did as we could.

New Hope folks were out there doing that all week. And the past couple of days - with Relay for Life, RA Racers, and Supper on Saturday - were just the culmination of loving God with all our hearts and our neighbors as we would ourselves.

This morning, I get to be one who God uses to put all of that into context. Not the only one - God has spoken all week to us. But opening the Word of God and explaining why everything changed when Jesus wept and Lazarus came back from the dead...

If we'll just take a good hard look at Jesus, we'll know He's the One Who can change anything.

Pray that I'll declare God's Word faithfully this morning.