From bullying to best friends

 

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. (Mark 14:40 TNIV Bible)

When I read this passage of Jesus in his time of trial, I was reminded of this story:

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school.  His name was Kyle.  It looked like he was carrying all of his books.  I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?  He must really be a nerd.”  I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.  His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.  He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.  My heart went out to him.  So, I jogged over to him and, as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, “Those guys are jerks.  They really should get lives.”

He looked at me and said, “Hey thanks!”  There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.  I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.  As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before.  He said he had gone to private school before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.  We talked all the way home, and I carried his books.  He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.  I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends.  He said yes.

We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.  Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.  I stopped him and said, “You are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!”

He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.  When we were seniors, we began to think about college.  Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke.  I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.  He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.  Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.  He had to prepare a speech for graduation.  I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.  He looked great.  He was one of those guys who really found himself during high school.  He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.  He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him!  Boy, sometimes I was jealous.  Today was one of those days.  I could see that he was nervous about his speech.  So, I smacked him on the back and said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!”

He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. “Thanks,” he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began  “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach… but mostly your friends.  I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.  I am going to tell you a story.”

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.  He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.  He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.  “Thankfully, I was saved.  My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.  I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.  Not until that moment did I realize its depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions.  With one small gesture you can change a person’s life.  For better or for worse.  God puts us all in each other’s lives to impact one another in some way.  Look for good in others.

Each day is a gift from God!  Don’t forget to say, “Thank you!”

There are times in our lives when we feel lonely and that we just can’t take it anymore. Jesus experienced that too.

Not even Jesus’ closest friends were there for Him when He needed them. His response was to pray and hang onto His Father.

Life comes with all sorts of complications, but Jesus truly understands. He experienced hardship and promises to always be there for us, even when no one else is.

A light Saturday…Church bloopers

Here’s some great bloopers from Church bulletins to lighten up yourSaturday…:)

Stewardship Offertory: “Jesus Paid It All”

The music for today’s service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister’s daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.

22 members were present at the church meeting held at the home of Mrs. Marsha Crutchfield last evening. Mrs. Crutchfield and Mrs. Rankin sang a duet, The Lord Knows Why.

A song fest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday.

Today’s Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.

On a church bulletin during the minister’s illness: GOD IS GOOD Dr. Hargreaves is better.

Potluck supper: prayer and medication to follow.

Don’t let worry kill you off – let the church help.

The 1997 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.

Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.

Next Sunday a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the carpet will come forward and do so.

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday.

Thursday night–Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

The Lutheran men’s group will meet at 6 p.m. Steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.  A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

8 new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.

The preacher will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, “Break Forth With Joy.”

Today… Christian Youth Fellowship Sexuality Course, 8 p.m. Please park in the rear parking lot for this activity.

During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when A.B. Doe supplied our pulpit.

The Rev. Adams spoke briefly, much to the delight of his audience.

The church is glad to have with us today as our guest minister the Rev. Shirley Green who has Mrs. Green with him. After the service we request that all remain in the sanctuary for the Hanging of the Greens.

The latest news story from the Christian Post…no age restriction or permission needed for the morning after pill.

The Story below just shows how little value is placed on the life of our unborn children these days. What do you think?

A federal judge in New York ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday to make the Plan B emergency contraceptive pill available to young teens and girls without a doctor’s prescription. The White House promptly responded by saying the age restriction was the “right common-sense approach.”

While today’s women need to prove at the pharmacy they are 17 or older to be able to buy the morning-after pill, U.S. District Judge Edward Korman for the Eastern District of New York ruled Friday that women of any age should be able to buy emergency contraception without a doctor’s prescription, according to The Associated Press.

President Barack Obama had supported a 2011 decision by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius setting age limits for Plan B One-Step and its generic versions, which can prevent pregnancy if taken soon enough after unprotected sex. Obama had then supported Sebelius, saying she acted because she wasn’t sure that an 11-year-old “should be able, alongside bubble gum or batteries…to buy a medication that potentially, if not used properly, could end up having an adverse effect.”

Korman, too, acknowledged that the case was controversial, as “it involves access to emergency contraception for adolescents who should not be engaging in conduct that necessitates the use of such drugs,” but he called Sebelius’ decision “politically motivated, scientifically unjustified and contrary to agency precedent.”

Justice Department spokeswoman Allison Price said Friday that the decision of whether to appeal would be taken soon. “The Department of Justice is reviewing the appellate options and expects to act promptly,” she said.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Friday the president hasn’t changed his position. “He believes it was the right common-sense approach to this issue,” Carney said.

The Family Research Council expressed “serious concerns” regarding the court ruling.

“This ruling places the health of young girls at risk. Making Plan B available for girls under the age of 17 without a prescription flies in the face of medical information and sound judgment,” said Anna Higgins, director of the Center for Human Dignity at the FRC, in a statement. “I am very troubled that the court has not fully taken into account the concerns expressed by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and many public health advocates that there is not enough data on the health effects of Plan B on young girls.”

The court order was in response to a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights in 2005. “More than twelve years have passed since the citizen petition was filed and eight years since this lawsuit commenced,” Korman wrote. “The FDA has engaged in intolerable delays in processing the petition. Indeed, it could accurately be described as an administrative agency filibuster.”

“Today science has finally prevailed over politics,” Nancy Northrup, president and chief executive of the liberal advocacy group, said in a statement. “This landmark court decision has struck a huge blow to the deep-seated discrimination that has for too long denied women access to a full range of safe and effective birth control methods.”

The morning-after pill contains a higher dose of the female progestin hormone – to prevent ovulation or fertilization of an egg – than is in regular birth control pills. However, if a woman already is pregnant, the pill has no effect.

About 19.7 million new sexually transmitted infections were reported in 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Based on the CDC’s estimates, that brings the total number of STIs in the country to just over 110 million, and most of the new cases crop up in young men and women aged between 15 and 25. “Making Plan B available over-the-counter for any age will put many of these young girls at further risk because it circumvents necessary medical screening for sexually active girls,” Higgins said.

There is also a real danger that “Plan B may be given to young girls, under coercion or without their consent,” Higgins added. “The involvement of parents and medical professionals act as a safeguard for these young girls. However, today’s ruling removes these commonsense protections.”

However, some see the morning-after pill as a way of reducing teenage pregnancy.

The New York City Department of Education last year decided to make the morning-after pill available without parental consent to high school teenage girls as young as 14, at 13 public schools, expanding a program that began in 2011.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, then told The Christian Post that the decision was “the kind of imperial edict that demands a lawsuit.”

“Whenever it comes to sensitive issues such as sexuality, the government must always play an ancillary role to that of parents,” he said. “The provision that parents can opt out smacks of governmental arrogance and must be resisted: the government has no business eclipsing parental rights.”

Anything but Good Friday….

“Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.”John 19:28-30

Good Friday … I am sure on that first Good Friday, that the first followers of Jesus would have called it anything but Good. That first Good Friday would have been an extremely long, tough, discouraging, dark day.You see these first followers who had followed Jesus for three years and had had such hope, such confidence and such anticipation of the exciting future that Jesus would bring to their world and to their individual lives. And yet on that Friday almost 2000 years ago they saw their dreams and hopes dashed. You see they hadn’t read the rest of the story, they didn’t know how this exciting historic story was going to unfold.

All they knew was this Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had learned to trust, was now hanging before their eyes … dead on a cross. What must have been going through their minds?

You see even as we read this painful description found in the Bible in the 19th Chapter of John, it is only natural to quickly want to turn to the 20th Chapter and read about the victory that came on Sunday. But for just a moment on this Good Friday, let’s imagine what it would have been like for the first believers in Christ to see the one whom they had come to believe was the Son of God, the Messiah, was now hanging on the cross seemingly defeated.

What feelings must have been rushing through their hearts? They must have been experiencing feelings of discouragement, defeat, and hopelessness? You see … its Friday and although Sunday is coming, they didn’t yet know it!

Isn’t that the way it is in our lives sometimes?

We experience a discouraging setback at work… or possibly lose that dream job and we feel discouragement and disappointment. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it!

We suffer another tough day in our personal life feeling defeated by that particular temptation, addiction or enslaving habit. We feel stupid, embarrassed, angry, and defeated! It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

We experiencing a heartbreaking setback in a personal relationship in our lives … We walk out of court with the words “Divorce” echoing in our ears. We feel rejected, lonely and unloved. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

We hear a bad report from the doctor for ourselves, or a loved one. Our hearts race with fear, anxiety and uncertainty. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

We stand beside the grave of someone we love very much and we feel a deep loneliness and ache in our heart. It is Friday and although Sunday is coming, we don’t yet realize it.

It is in those moments that we feel the darkness of that first Good Friday!

It is in those moments that we need to take to heart the example of Jesus that is described in the Bible in the Book of Hebrews. In the 12th chapter of that encouraging book, Jesus is described as our champion who initiates and perfects our faith. We are reminded that as Jesus went to the cross he had the following focus: “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross.” That was an incredible focus!

Corrie ten Boom, who suffered in a Nazi death camp, explained the power of focus: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ you’ll be at rest!”

… This morning as we allow ourselves to feel the darkness that those first believers must have felt, let’s focus our thoughts on the fact that … Yes at times in life, the candle might have been blown out temporarily, but it will shine again very, very soon! You see … it is Friday, but Easter Sunday is coming! Let’s take a moment now and reflect on what they must have felt and the reminder that no matter what we might be going through in our lives … It is Friday, but Easter Sunday is coming!

Taking Good Friday Personally

It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the Spirit. John. 19:30.

They call this Good Friday, but to many it’s bittersweet. This is the day that we choose to remember the self-sacrifice Jesus chose so we could all have a second chance and forgiveness. This is the day that always brings me to tears. While many people see the event of this precious man’s death as far off and in the past, I see it as an act that is played out every day as He continues to forgive all of us for our sins. I see this painful death as the most incredible act of love that anyone has ever shown me.

When I read the Bible and think about all the pain and humiliation that Jesus went through for me, I take it personal. While He did this act for everyone that draws a breath, I like to bring it closer to my heart by remembering that He knew me then, and took the pain and sorrow on His back so that I could be forgiven and loved now. What kind of person have you ever met would do that for you? How many people do you know would plead guilty to a crime that their friend committed because they loved them that much? How many people would do this  knowing that they would endure pain  beyond our imaginations. Knowing they would literally have nails driven through their body so you could go free. Has anyone you known ever done this for you? I know someone who has done it for me and the person was Jesus. He didn’t have to, but He did. What a friend we have in Jesus.

Today as we think about the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for us, let’s remember to keep our relationship personal with Him. Do whatever it takes to feel him in your heart every day. I don’t care what it takes to do that, but allow the emotions we feel on this sad yet joyous day, become something you experience on a daily basis. Please just make sure you allow Good Friday to be Good Every day by never forgetting that special relationship you have with Jesus.

Keeping it real and close….