Monday Soup: Look Death in the Face

1 Corinthians 15:30-31, from The Message:

And why do you think I keep risking my neck in this dangerous work? I look death in the face practically every day I live. Do you think I'd do this if I wasn't convinced of your resurrection and mine as guaranteed by the resurrected Messiah Jesus?

Paul wrote this about 2,000 years ago to some church folks in Corinth who were doubting the resurrection. Basically, his rebuttal was:

Listen: I wouldn't constantly be risking my life for something I wasn't absolutely sure of.  Jesus is real. And he's worth my life, even if it means my death.

I shared this truth with our Cedar Falls team on Sunday morning because I think it's incredibly applicable for us as artists who put all of who we are out there every single weekend we serve.  We try to get as close to perfect as we can.  We take risks.  At times we make attempts at things that we know--we know--we may fall short of achieving or pulling off to our own standards.

We had a night like that at Cedar Falls on Saturday.  Some of it was our own fault--like me realizing on Friday night that my son's dedication and my obligation to worship lead both were going to happen, somehow and some way, at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.  My fault.  But some of it was beyond our control--like Pastor John hitting the modulator on Kim's keyboard as he tried to place communion on it, or two amps that powered the main speakers going kaput right at the service's opening.  Nobody's fault.

These things are going to happen.

And I, for one, am glad.

I'm glad because they are a sign that we are on the right track.

We are on the right track when failure is a real possibility, because it means that we are not content to remain safe in the false comforts of the familiar.

We are on the right track when failure is not only a possibility but a reality, because in our weakness we are moved to find that He is strong.

We are on the right track when failure whispers from its hiding place thoughts of fear and insecurity, or tempts us to be angry and critical, for then we must rely on our eyes of faith.

And let's be very clear of something else.  Big picture: we hit a home run this weekend.

• We created an environment that was fresh, creative, relevant, God-centered, pure, biblical, clear, and compelling.
• We sang songs that lifted Jesus up and encouraged everyone to give everything to him.
• We did nothing for our own glory, but everything for God's.
• We begged people to take next steps of obedience towards God.
• We celebrated the sacrifice of Jesus through communion and song.
• We made a way for people to talk and pray and confess and return to God.
• We connected with one another, laughed together, served together, and fought together as one.

How many churches in the Cedar Valley are doing the same?  Truly: we are part of something rare and good. And we'd do well to remember that.

Jesus is worth the risk, my friends.  He's worth the minor failures and setbacks.  He's worth the sacrifice. He's worth our lives.  And he's worthy of our death, if that's what it comes to.

I'm glad to be dying with you, because we're dying for Christ.  And Christ is in the business of raising the dead to life.

P.S.

I've been listening to this song for two hours on repeat now... during the entire time that I composed this entry:



I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say 
You're beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It's all proclaiming who You are
You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You're beautiful, you're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity's shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring 
Your bride will come together and we'll sing
You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, I see Your face
I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful