It’s Saturday . . . but Sunday’s Coming!

It’s Saturday, the day before Easter.

On the Christian calendar, we often forget this day. Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.

On Friday, Jesus is crucified; dies for our sins. His followers mourn.

On Sunday, Jesus is resurrected; He’s risen! He’s risen, indeed! His followers rejoice.

But on Saturday, Jesus lay in the tomb; earth groaned. His followers waited, confused.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Holy Saturday: The Day of Waiting

On the church calendar, Saturday is known as “Holy Saturday.” While there are services on Friday and on Sunday, this day is traditionally a day of waiting.

Holy Saturday is a lot like life this side of heaven. We wait. Our final resurrection is sure. Our victory is certain. But this side of heaven, we face death daily. Saturday—the day-in-between, the day between earth and heaven, hurt and healing, waiting and receiving, faith and sight.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

The Message of Holy Saturday

The message of Holy Saturday is, “Wait. Something is about to happen. But it hasn’t happened yet.”

Holy Saturday lasts so long. It feels like Sunday will never come. The twenty-four hours feel like an eternity.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Death still surrounds us. Sin still tempts us. Sickness still wounds us. Suffering still pervades us. Evil still invades us. Satan still taunts us.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

Easter Is Coming Our Direction

In Narnia, under the curse of the White Witch, it was always Winter but never Christmas.

For Christians, we live in the sure hope that Spring is always just around the corner; just around the river bend.

Easter has already arrived, and it’s coming in our direction.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . .

While we forever remember the crucifixion, thank God we’re moving toward Easter. It’s coming in our direction, closer all the time.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . . and it’s not far away.

All we have to do is hold on for a little while and Sunday will soon be here.

Saturday may seem like a long time, but that’s only as we count time.

Hold on. Keep believing. Never give up. Wait.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming . . . soon.

Hold on for a little while longer.

The Final Victory

Death will not have the last word.

The tomb will empty.

We will celebrate the resurrection.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming!

Join the Conversation

What is the wait like for you?

Tags: Christ, Easter, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Passion Week

Good Friday: The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross

One of the most powerful practices you can participate in during Good Friday is reflecting on the Seven Last Words of Christ on the cross.

I’ve arranged them below for you chronologically, as Jesus spoke them.

Allow each word, each sentence, spoken by our Savior to pierce your heart with awareness of your sin and of God’s great forgiving grace.

The First Words

“Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).

The Second Words

“And Jesus said unto him, ‘I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:43).

The Third Words

“When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, ‘Woman, behold thy son!’” (John 19:26).

The Fourth Words

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which is, being interpreted, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:34).

The Fifth Words

‘After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, ‘I thirst’” (John 19:28).

The Sixth Words

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, ‘It is finished’”: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30).

The Seventh Words

“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit’” (Luke 23:46).

Join the Conversation

How are the Seven Last Words of Christ, spoken nearly 2,000 years ago, impacting you today?

Tags: Christ, Cross, Crucifixion, Easter, Good Friday, Seven Last Words of Christ

The Story

At RPM Ministries our story is all about changing lives with Christ’s changeless truth.

We’re always asking people, “Want to change lives?”

But, what if your life is unchanged? What then? How do you participate in life’s greatest adventure of empowering others to live a changed life if you remain powerless to change?

Then our question for you is entirely different. The new question, really the first question, is “Want a changed life?”

How do people change? Why do people need to change? Change to what?

The story that answers those questions is the story God is telling in the Bible. His story is summarized below. To read about it in narrative form, click below on the image of The Story.

When you’re done, tell us what you think. Ask us any questions that you have. Contact us at rpm.ministries@gmail.com

Tags: Christ, Christianity, Gospel, Salvation, The Story

Thankful for Christ Alone

Two days ago I posted about the lack of depth in most modern praise choruses.

Yesterday I posted a Thanksgiving reminder from a hero of Black Church history: the Rev. Absalom Jones.

Today, on Thanksgiving, I post about Keith and Kristyn Getty who write modern praise hymns for which I am very thankful.

“What we sing becomes the grammar of what we believe” (Keith Getty).

The praise hymn I want played at my funeral is their praise hymn, In Christ Alone.

Be blessed by this video of Kristyn Getty singing, In Christ Alone.

Be blessed by the words to, In Christ Alone.

In Christ Alone

“In Christ Alone”
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.

Visit this lyric page.

Visit the Gettys.

Be blessed in Christ alone.

Be blessed by Christ alone.

I Miss the Depth of the Old Hymns

I confess that in the 1990s I led a church through the change process from traditional hymns and a choir to praise choruses and praise teams.

I now confess that I miss the depth of the old hymns. Yes, some of the modern praise music is improving, led by theologian/songwriters like Keith and Kristyn Getty (In Christ Alone). They’re all too rare, however.

Listen, really listen to most of the praise choruses that we sing in most of our Evangelical church services. Honestly, they could be to almost any “god.” There’s often little in the lyrics to indicate we are praising the Trinitarian, holy-loving, Creator-Redeemer who offers salvation in Christ alone by faith alone through grace alone.

And listen to what you don’t hear much anymore in our praise choruses: Christology, hamartiology, and soteriology.

You say, “What in the world is ‘Christology,’ ‘hamartiology,’ and ‘soteriology’!?”

Proves my point.

Christology: The doctrine of Christ–Who He is and what He has done.

Hamartiology: The doctrine of sin–human sinfulness and our inability to save ourselves.

Soteriology: The doctrine of salvation–cleansing from our guilt and sin by faith alone through grace alone.

I picked up an old hymnal just now and randomly thumbed through it. Consider the lyrics about salvation for guilty sinners in Christ alone.

The Solid Rock: “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.”

My Faith Has Found a Resting Place: “My faith has found a resting place, not in device nor creed; I trust the Ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, it is enough that Jesus died, and that he died for me.”

Nothing but the Blood: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Grace Greater Than Our Sin: “Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt, yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured, there where the blood of the lamb was spilt. Grace, grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within, grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all my sin.”

There Is a Fountain: “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.”

We don’t sing about blood, about guilt, about sin and sinners much anymore. We don’t sing about Christ and salvation by faith through grace much anymore.

We sing about an anonymous, nameless God who is wonderful and loves us. And that makes us feel good. But does it glorify the Trinitarian God of the Bible who in holy love sent His sinless Son to die for our sins and to be raised for our justification?

I miss the depth of the old hymns.

Who I Am In Christ, Part Ten  

If you want to learn boatloads more about how to apply these spiritual principles to your life and ministry, then check out Soul Physicians, the original source. Soul Physicians empowers believers to grow in grace. Soul Physicians equips believers to help one another to become more like Christ. Check out free resources about Soul Physicians here.  

Soull Physicians

The following Puritan Prayer from The Valley of Vision reminds us of the glorious grace of Christ.

All thy lovingkindness is in thy Son,
I bring him to thee in the arms of faith,
I urge his saving name as the one who died for me.
I plead his blood to pay my debts of wrong.

Accept his worthiness for my unworthiness,
His sinlessness for my transgressions,
His purity for my uncleanness,
His sincerity for my guile,
His truth for my deceits,
His meekness for my pride,
His constancy for my backslidings,
His love for my enmity,
His fullness for my emptiness,
His faithfulness for my treachery,
His obedience for my lawlessness,
His glory for my shame,
His devotedness for my waywardness,
His holy life for my unchaste ways,
His righteousness for my dead works,
His death for my life.

Here’s a link to a YouTube version of his empowerng message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX_7j32zgNw

It starts twenty seconds in. It’s well worth the wait!

It seems that every few years the “in” Christian counseling model shifts. The current “in” thing is spirituality: spiritual direction, soul care, spiritual friendship.

Those who know me know that I’ve been in on this “in” craze of spirituality (soul care and spiritual direction) for over a quarter century. So, I’m not bolting from it now—especially since it has a lengthy history (try since creation).

And I’m not bolting even though some in the so-called “discernment movement” discern evil new age ideology every time someone says the word “spiritual.” More on that topic in a later blog.

The Key to Truly Biblical Counseling

Here’s the point. Models of counseling come and go. But the key to truly biblical counseling is relationship.

Again, even here there are those who quickly jump on the psycho-heresy bandwagon and claim that any talk about human relationships makes an approach secular and humanistic. As if God never said, “It is not good for Adam to be alone.”

How does one Christian help another Christian in the Christian life to exalt God by enjoying God? It is done via relationships in which we live the truth in love.

This is not secular hooey. This is biblical foundations.

The High Priestly Prayer of Christ

In Christ’s great high priestly prayer in John 17 (the true “Lord’s Prayer”), Jesus lays out His plan for Christianity. Seems we might want to listen to what Christ says about how Christians live out Christianity!

Jesus prays that Christians might be one just as the Son and Father are one. “Just as You, Father, are in me and I am in You” (John 17:20-21).

In the context of John’s Gospel and of John 17, Jesus’ prescription for oneness is clear. God calls us to know each other intimately and to love each other deeply. To know and be known.

Honest Relational Questions

So, whatever title we give to our models of counseling, we should be asking ourselves questions that undergird our counseling. Counseling is nothing more and nothing less than how we relate to one another in the body of Christ to encourage one another to be more like Christ; more one with Christ, so Christ is glorified.

So, whether pastor, professional Christian counselor, spiritual director, or lay spiritual friend, how are we answering these questions?

“Do I really know my spouse? Does my spouse know me intimately?”

“Do I know my children deeply? Do my children know me openly?”

“Do I know my co-workers and fellow-laborers? Do they know me?”

“Do I really know the people in my church; in my small group? Do they know me?”

“Do I know my parishioners, my counselees, and my spiritual friends? Do they know me?”

Christian counseling, by whatever branding, should be branded with the high priestly prayer of Jesus—to know and be known. To be one as the Trinity is one—a mutual relationship of intimacy.

Who really knows you? Who do you let in? Open up to? Are real and raw with? And who do you really know in a deep, intimate, honest, open way?

Forget, “Where’s the beef?” (You have to be my age to even remember that in the first place.)

Ask, “Where’s the relationship?” Where is the biblical relationship in my “counseling,” “pastoral ministry,” and “lay spiritual friendship?” Yes, where’s the relationship? Who knows us? Who do we know? To know and be known—the essence of true ministry.

Tags: Biblical Counseling, Christian Counseling, Church, Discipleship, Equipping, Kellemen, Ministry, Pastors, RPM Ministries, Soul Care, Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Formation