To Our Church Family,

It’s a joy each year to gather for our vision meeting. We have so much to be grateful for! God has blessed our church in ways I could never have imagined, and I believe he’s just getting started. Even as we’re coming to the end of our building project, we know this is just the beginning of all God has in store for this project. Now it’s time for the ministry in these new spaces to begin. We pray that God will take our little mustard seed and grow it for his kingdom.

At this year’s meeting on Sunday June 1 following our worship service, we will share our vision for the upcoming year, give updates on our finances for 2024, the building campaign, and vote to amend our bylaws.

As we prepare for this meeting, I wanted to include a copy of the proposed bylaws for you to review with a short summary of the updates.

• Updating outdated language. Since the church was founded almost a decade ago, we have not updated our bylaws. Over the last year, our elders have worked together to identify and adapt sections of the bylaws that do not reflect the church we have now. For example, when the bylaws were adopted, we did not have a permanent place to meet, a pastor, any staff, or any major assets. Because we are committed to abiding by our stated bylaws, there are several important updates that must be made. The majority of the changes fall into this category. See Articles 7, 8, and 9.
• Addressing membership and voting. We do not have a system of formal membership at CLCC. On one hand, this is good and necessary for our context because we have such a wide range of people coming to church each week. Many people are members or attend somewhere else when they are not in CL, and we do not bar anyone from serving or participating because of membership status. We look at Christian character, maturity, and fit for every position. On the other hand, for those who do consider CLCC their church home, we seek to do all the Bible instructs us to do as a church and an elder team. Because of this unique dynamic, we’ve revised Article 8 on the congregation. This defines the “congregation” and “voting membership” within our church.
• Statement of belief. Though we adopted our current statement of beliefs in 2021, we have not formally included it in our bylaws. See Appendix I.

Thanks to all of you who will gather with us to celebrate what God has done and is doing in our church. Continue to pray for wisdom and guidance as we live out his will in the world. I’m grateful every day to get to serve you in this great church.

Pastor Cole

Easter at CLCC!
I don’t know if I could pick a favorite holiday. Each season brings so many special moments - especially in Carlton Landing! But Easter is right up at the top. My goal each year is to create moments where we can pause and remember the amazing good news that Jesus lived, died, and rose to make us right with God and each other. The resurrection is truly the most important event in the history of the world, and we have so much to celebrate!

This year, we have services on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Whenever you’re in town, join us as we follow Jesus through Holy Week, leading up to our Easter services Saturday night and Sunday Morning. 

Maundy Thursday - 8pm
On Thursday of Holy Week, Jesus had the last supper with his disciples. Over the course of this meal, Jesus tied the history of Israel together in his promise of a new covenant sealed with his blood. In this evening service, we go back to that meal and learn how the entire story of the Bible points to Christ. As we celebrate communion together, we see the death of Christ in a new way, the greatest act of love in history.

Good Friday - 6pm
On Friday of Holy Week, Jesus was crucified for our sins on the cross. In this service, we remember Christ's sacrifice for us, read the passion story, and take part in the proclamation of Jesus's death. In this service, families from our church will read the story of Jesus's trial and death, accompanied by worship.

Easter Services
Saturday - 6pm & Sunday - 10am
He is risen! Easter Sunday is the greatest day of remembrance and celebration for Christians. Celebrate the risen Savior and the empty tomb with us at 10 am. We will have children's church for children ages 2-7 and 8-11. Sign them up early through our connect tab or check them in upon arrival. Come as you are and celebrate our risen Lord!

I hope you’ll join us for one of the best weekends in Carlton Landing. See you then!

Kanakuk Kampout
In just a few weeks, Kanakuk Kampout will roll into town for the best week of the summer. We still have room for a few more kids, ages 5-12 to sign up! Sign up here on the Kanakuk website.

If you would like to host counselors in your home or help with meals, please email Jess Smuk at jess@carltonlanding.church.

Good news of great joy! That’s what we’ve been focusing on this Advent season: the good news of the birth of Jesus. Why was it such great news that a baby had been born in a little town in Israel? Why is it such great news now, more than two millennia later?

The answer can be found in the themes of the Advent season: hope, peace, joy, and love. God sent his Son to bring us back to him, to give us hope beyond what we could accomplish for ourselves, peace with God through Jesus’s death on the cross, joy in the midst of every circumstance, and the amazing love of God poured into our hearts. That’s why we pause during this busy season to celebrate and remember the greatest gift of all, the Lord Jesus Christ.

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’” Luke 2:10-11

Here are some updates and things to look forward to this Christmas:

• Celebrate Christmas this weekend with Jami Smith and the CLCC Kids’ performance. 
• Finish the building campaign by year's end. 
• Kanakuk Kampout signups are live!

Christmas Celebration 
This is one of my favorite weekends in Carlton Landing. In addition to the Holiday Home Tour and the Bonfire, we have Jami Smith with us for a special Christmas worship set. The theme for this week is joy, and in the words of Buddy the Elf, “The best way to spread holiday cheer is singing loud for all to hear!” Sing your favorite Christmas songs and learn a few new ones with Jami Smith this weekend. Join us at our normal service time, 10 am Sunday morning.

At the end of the service, our CLCC Kids will lead us in the Christmas story and a few Christmas carols. Our incredible children’s director, Katy Ham, has created a wonderful performance, and you won’t want to miss it. All kids 2-12 are invited to participate!

On Christmas Eve, we will have a “Lessons and Carols” style service at 6 pm. Bring the whole family to read the Christmas story, sing classic Christmas hymns, and celebrate Christmas night!

Let’s Finish the Building Campaign!
We launched our For the Whole Family Building Campaign in July, and through the amazing generosity of this church family, we are almost to our goal. We are a family church, and our greatest need is more kids’ space. We’ve begun construction on two new buildings that will extend our capacity to serve families into the next generation. A new children’s building will give us space for 50+ 0-4 year-olds, and our office building will provide office, conference, meeting, and hosting space for the ministry needs during the week and throughout the year.  

As of December 1, we needed just over $125,000 in new pledges to finish this project. As of today, we need $75,000 more to be fully funded!

This project includes the construction of the two new buildings, furnishing, landscaping, improvements to our existing kids and classroom buildings, and campus improvements. Any additional funds will be used for future capital projects.

Help us finish by December 31! If the Lord puts it on your heart to give, you can pledge and give online or fill out a pledge card at the church.

Kanakuk Kampout Signups are Live!
We’re thrilled to be hosting Kampout at Carlton Landing again this summer, June 2-6. Sign up now for the best week of the summer! We have 120 spots open, and we plan to fill up. I’m already praying for all God has in store for that week!

If you would like to be a host home for this summer, provide food for the counselors, or volunteer in any capacity, please contact Jess Smuk, jess@carltonlanding.church.


As we come to the end of this year, my heart is filled with thanksgiving for all God has done in Carlton Landing and at our church, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us in 2025. Merry Christmas to you all!

Pastor Cole

Hey Everyone,
There's a lot happening in the next few months at Carlton Landing Community Church. We use these monthly updates to keep you aware of what's happening in the life of the church. Here's what's happening in the next few months:

Elder Ordination 
This weekend was a milestone for our church. We ordained four new elders to lead and shepherd our church: David Walker, Chuck Benningfield, Brad Johnson, and Jim Keating. These four join our other elders: Kirk Humphreys (Chairman), Kerwin Dees, J.D. Fuller, and Cole Feix. 

In texts like 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5, we get descriptions of how the church should be led and the kind of leaders to look for. Above all else, elders are to be chosen for their character. Paul tells Titus, “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:5-9)

It’s a joy to find men like this in our church willing to lead and shepherd our community. We prayed Sunday for continued protection, wisdom, and growth as these four step into their roles as elders and we look forward to the season ahead for our church!

Kampout - June 3-7
Kanakuk Kampout is back this summer, June 3-7, and signups are open here! This will be our third summer to host Kampout. It is a Christian sports camp for kids 5-12 from 9am to 4pm, Monday through Friday. Last year, we filled all of our spots, so sign up today!

For an overview of the schedule or any questions you have, check out their website, here.  

Family Weekend Conference - April 26-28
Carlton Landing is a place where families come to rest, spend time together, and make lifelong memories. It’s also a place to spend intentional time building godly routines and habits in our homes. For our first annual family conference, we want to pour into the families in CL, so we’ve invited Justin Whitmel Earley to come speak about his book Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms.

This will be a whole weekend of family fun. Justin will speak Friday evening and Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon we will have family activities planned, and Saturday evening we’ll gather at the Festival Lawn for food trucks, music, and a family talent show. Start practicing your family talents! On Sunday morning, come early for donuts and coffee and hear a special message about God’s vision for your family.

Look for signups in the next few weeks!

Missions Opportunity: Adi McKinzie
In June, Adi McKinzie is going to be traveling to Egypt on a mission trip with BattleCreek Church in Tulsa, and she’s raising support! If you’d like to talk with her about the trip or discuss supporting her, email her at Adi.McKinzie@gmail.com.


Writing this email, I'm so grateful for the volunteers and leaders we have to make these events and opportunities happen. Grateful to get to serve!

Cole

We’re getting close to the Holiday season in Carlton Landing. As we enter the Advent season in just a few weeks, we have so much to look forward to as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Here is our holiday schedule and a couple of exciting updates for the new year.

Holiday Schedule 

Sunday, November 19 - Eufaula Thanksgiving Service - 6 pm
Each year, churches in Eufaula come together for a group church service. This year, I will be preaching, and the service will be held at North Fork Baptist Church, off Highway 69 and Texanna Road. Everyone is invited, so if you’re around, come celebrate the beginning of Thanksgiving week with believers from around the area.

Sunday, November 26 - Thanksgiving Sunday - 10 am
The Sunday after Thanksgiving, we will be having our normal Sunday service and we will be finishing the Gospel of Matthew. As we focus on the Great Commission, we’ll tie the Gospel together and learn about the role we’ve been given in the Kingdom of God.
On that Sunday, we will be kicking off our holiday sock drive for the nursing home residents of Eufaula. Bring a few pairs of warm socks to give away!

Saturday, December 2 - Christmas Decorating at the Church - 10 am
Sunday, December 3 - First Sunday of Advent - 10 am 
December 3 is the first Sunday of Advent, the season leading up to Christmas, when we prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ’s birth. To get ready for Advent, we will be decorating the church on Saturday, Dec. 2. Come ready to set up our Christmas tree, hang wreaths, and arrange poinsettias. Sunday morning, we will have our normal service with a new sermon series for Advent.

Sunday, December 10 - Christmas Songs with Jami Smith - 10 am
Holiday weekend is one of the best times in Carlton Landing. On Saturday, the town will have the home tour and the bonfire; on Sunday, we’ll have Jami Smith and her band singing Christmas songs at CLCC.  

Sunday, December 17 - Children’s Christmas Carols - 10 am 
On this third Sunday of Advent, we will have our normal Christmas services, but we will be joined at the end by our children’s church kids singing Christmas songs. You won’t want to miss it. The kids will be practicing during Children’s church in December and on this Sunday, so everyone who comes can participate.

Sunday, December 24 - Christmas Eve - 10 am, 6 pm
Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday this year. In the morning, we will have our normal worship service, and in the evening, we will have a Christmas Eve service for the whole family at 6 pm. As in years past, we will be singing Christmas carols and reading the Christmas story. If you would like to volunteer for that service in any capacity, please email Jess Smuk, jess@carltonlanding.church.

Monday, December 25 - Christmas Day 
Merry Christmas! We will not be having any events on Christmas Day this year. Enjoy time with family and friends celebrating the birth of our Lord.

Sunday, December 31 - New Year’s Eve - 10 am
Ring in the new year by gathering to worship on Sunday morning. On New Year’s Eve, we will have our normal Sunday worship service.


Exodus - New Year Sermon Series 
In the middle of our Matthew series this year, we looked at the book of Genesis through the lens of the “Fig Leaves” Adam and Eve made for themselves. To kick off the New Year, we’re moving on to the book of Exodus! We’ve probably all seen the Prince of Egypt, maybe some of us, Exodus: Gods and Kings, but do we know what the Biblical Exodus was all about? I’ll tell you in one word: worship. When God told Moses to go to Pharaoh, this is what he told him to say, “The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God’” (Ex. 3:18). This deliverance was about worship!

Through 8 weeks in Exodus, we will learn about worship, identity, and life as the people of God through the call of Moses, the plagues, the parting of the Sea, the meeting with the Lord at Sinai, and the wandering journey through the wilderness. The book of Exodus is packed with meaning for today. You won’t want to miss that series!

Museum of the Bible Trip - Washington D.C. 
Have you ever wondered how we got our Bible? How do we know the words the authors wrote thousands of years ago are the words we’re reading today? We’re going to be discussing these questions and many more at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., February 29 - March 1, 2024.

Feel free to get there a few days early or leave a few days after. Stay wherever you’d like, or let us know if you’d like us to include you in a block of reserved rooms. Our group will be together from the morning of the 29th through the afternoon of the 1st. This trip will include guided tours of the Museum, a monument tour around the National Mall, and more. If you’re interested and want more information about the trip, reach out to jess@carltonlanding.church.

The internal change the Gospel brings about in our hearts always makes its way out into our lives. It’s no coincidence that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is just like it, to love our neighbors. The love of God, the gospel of the saving work of Jesus Christ, will radically influence the way we treat others. In this section, Paul focuses on our lives together in the church and in community.

Coming off of the famous Fruit of the Spirit in the previous chapter, Paul now turns to the effects of the fruit in the body of Christ. After all, fruit is made to be eaten. The fruit in our lives is nourishing, refreshing, and sustaining to the people in the church around us.

See the study notes for Galatians 6 here. 

How can you really tell that someone is a Christian? If the outward “markers” and good works don’t prove that you are in Christ – or in this context, a child of Abraham – then what does? The natural practical response to Paul’s argument in Galatians is to wonder how we might know we are saved.

In this section, Paul gives us three indications: (1) freedom in Christ, (2) faith working through love, and (3) fruit of the Spirit. There is an internal witness of the Spirit, our faith working through love, and there is an outward display of the Spirit’s work, the fruit listed in 5:22-23.

Click here for the study notes from tonight's lesson.

Tonight, we're continuing through the book of Galatians, picking up in chapter 4. Paul's relentless argument in the book is that we can only be made right through faith. No ritual, action, or religious effort can make us right with God, only faith in Jesus Christ.

Click here for the study notes from tonight's lesson. 

Global Missions in the Local Church
“Missions” is a churchy word, and in a church like ours, you might have twenty different conceptions of missions in the same worship service. Simply put, missions is our strategy for fulfilling the Great Commission. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” There is a dozen sermons’ worth of things to unpack here, but the core unmissable message is this: part of being a follower of Christ is taking the gospel to all peoples – to the ends of the earth.

This commission forms part of our marching orders as a church. Individually and collectively, we are working to make sure that we do everything we can to take the gospel to all people. That starts in Carlton Landing, extends out into Eufaula, Longtown, and the surrounding areas, and extends to the last pockets of the planet where people have not heard the gospel.

As a church, we take this responsibility seriously, and as elders, we spend a good amount of our time talking and praying about how God has called our church specifically to steward what we have to fulfill the Great Commission. For this reason, we set aside 10% of our giving each year for local missions and 10% for global missions. Getting the gospel out, making disciples, and taking the message of God’s saving grace to the remaining unreached people groups of the world is a big deal to us.

What Is Global Missions?
From a global perspective, the great missions’ crisis is that there are around 1700 people groups that are considered “unreached.” This means groups of 5,000 or more people who have never heard the gospel and have no access to the gospel. There are millions of people who are reached but unevangelized – and that is a great challenge in itself – but there is also this group of unreached people who are unreached, without a plan to be reached.

But something is happening now that has never happened before in human history. Several missions’ organizations are teaming up to reach these 1,700 groups and it is possible that every unreached group will be reached in our lifetimes. We could live to see the last group reached with the gospel in the next 30 years. Again, this is just the beginning of our work, but it would be an incredible milestone in the history of the church; every person on the planet has at least access to the gospel.

How Can We Be a Part of It?
Since I came to CLCC, it’s been on my heart that we would be a part of reaching the lost, specifically that our church would stand up and commit to reaching one of these groups. This Sunday we had Jim Bliffin in from Pioneer Bible Translators. After church, a few couples stayed to hear Jim talk about some of the new projects PBT is undertaking and the possibility of our church partnering with them. One of the things I love about PBT is their holistic approach to reaching people. They don’t focus just on sending a missionary or just sending a translator; they conceive of the project from the first contact to a New Testament or a full Bible in the group’s heart language. That’s what we want to be a part of!

As a church, we could take an unreached group of people and start funding the project. We would begin with a missionary family, build a relationship, get them trained, and send them out. Then we would support them, pray for them, get updates, send teams to help, and throw ourselves behind their efforts. When the time is right, PBT will match us up with a translator – sometimes this can be a native speaker who has come to Christ, other times a new person will go and join the team, and sometimes the missionary has language training – and we will support the team as they develop an alphabet, teach the people to read, and translate the Bible.

This is not usually a short process, but it is getting faster. Projects like this used to take 30-40 years. Now they can often be done in 7-10 years. In a decade, we could see one of these groups go from totally unreached with the gospel to having a New Testament, a written language, Bible training classes, and possibly a church in their mother tongue. How can we pass that up?
In 30 years, when the last groups are reached with the news of what God has done through Jesus Christ, we could look back and say that we played a role in global evangelization. Partnered with churches around the world, we took the gospel to one of those 1,700 groups. Someday in Heaven, we might be able to meet people who heard the gospel and believed because as a church we decided to prioritize global missions.

What Can I Do?
The first thing to do is to continue to pray. We’re still asking God to make it clear how to partner, who to partner with, and what group of people he might have for us. This can be as simple as asking God to put a region of the planet on your heart. In your daily or weekly prayer time, add a few minutes to pray for those people who have never heard the name of Jesus. God will kindle a fire for missions in your heart as you do.  

Second, continue to give. Our strategy for long-term consistency is to give out of our general tithes and offerings. There may be times when we do a special offering for missions, but in the meantime, we are committed to stewarding what we have for local and global missions over time. As you give to our church, know that you are giving to missions.

Third, continue to grow in your love for God and pursuit of Christ. Missions is an ordinary extension of our faith in Christ. It is impossible to be growing in our faith and not be attuned to the Great Commission.

On Sunday, we began our service reading Psalm 67 together. It is one of the great missions passages in the Bible, capturing the relationship between our growth as believers and our commitment to spreading the Gospel.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
And make his face to shine upon us,
That your way may be known on earth,
Your saving power among all nations.
 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let all the peoples praise you!
 
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
For you judge the peoples with equity
And guide the nations on earth.
 
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
Let all the peoples praise you!
 
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
Let all the ends of the earth fear him!

-Pastor Cole

The word Gethsemane means “oil press.” In those days, when olives were gathered, they were poured into a woven bag and placed beneath a millstone. These stones, which could weigh hundreds of pounds, would press the olives into the ground, and soon they began to sweat.

A steep ravine runs down the east side of Jerusalem, and on the other side is the Mount of Olives. Some of the oldest trees in the world can be found on these slopes. From the days of Solomon, the olive oil from the Mount of Olives had been used in the temple. This particular oil was used in the lampstand, the only light left burning in the temple overnight. The everlasting light of these lampstands represented the everlasting presence of God. 

Jesus had probably prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives many times. It was a familiar place to him, a place of prayer and refuge. As David fled there for refuge when his kingdom was under siege, Jesus went there on the night he would be betrayed. In a few hours, he would go to the cross, bearing the sins of his people and facing the wrath of God. As Jesus knelt to pray that night, the weight of the sins of his people began to press him into the ground. Soon he began to sweat drops of blood. 

Every storyline of history converged in the garden that night. In hindsight, it was the second time the fate of humanity hung in the balance in a garden. Since our first parents disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, we have all lived under the dominion of death. From then on, death reigned. Humanity had been expelled from the garden and from the presence of God. 
Looking across the valley that night, Jesus would have seen the temple exalted above the surrounding landscape. He would have been intimately familiar with the sacrificial system, the bloody act of offering a bull or a goat as a stand-in payment for sin. He would have seen a small glimpse of the cost of sin every day he walked through the temple courts. 

This night, every storyline of history was about to change. A new sacrifice would be made. An act of obedience in a garden would open the way of life for all people. In Adam, all died, but in Christ, all would be made alive. In Adam, we lost the face to face relationship with God, but in Christ, our relationship would be restored. 

On Good Friday, we celebrate the crucifixion of our Lord in anticipation of his resurrection. As we read, sing, and respond this evening, we invite you into the depth of Christ’s suffering so that you might know the riches of his grace. We ask you to think about his payment for your sin so that you might know his offer of forgiveness. We sing of his death so that we might experience the fullness of his life. We walk through the darkness of Good Friday so that we might live in the light of Easter. 

“Surely he has born our griefs and carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 
But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our sins,
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
And by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5

Read our Good Friday service, here. 

Disciples: The Gospel of Matthew
Jesus called them to be his disciples. A disciple is more than a follower of a friend; a disciple is an imitator, someone who has been transformed into the image of their master. When Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he looked out and saw two brothers mending their nets. They were fishermen, but Jesus was about to call them to be fishers of men. He called out to them, "follow me!" And then they had a decision. Would they follow him or not? Would they leave their boats to become his disciples?

It’s no coincidence that the final lines of Matthew call us to go make disciples; the whole gospel is about transformation. That’s the call for every believer; learn to be like your teacher. We’ve been called to be like him, to live like him, and to help others find and follow him.

The Gospel of Matthew was the most popular among the early Christians with new converts. They would take new Christians through this book because it simply and clearly presented the path of discipleship. Organized around five sermons, Matthew’s gospel teaches discipleship through action, information, models, and exemplars. From beginning to end, the story includes people whose lives are changed by Jesus, and who respond by becoming like him. They listen to the teacher, live for the kingdom, and learn to make disciples just like he did.

The Organization of Matthew 
Matthew is famously organized around 5 large teaching blocks, the most famous being the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7. The others include instructions to the disciples (Ch. 10), parables about the kingdom (Ch. 13), teaching about relationships in the kingdom (Ch. 18), and parables and teaching about judgment and the end times (Ch. 24-25). But in between these teaching blocks, Jesus is healing, casting out demons, bringing in the kingdom, and building a group of disciples who will carry on the mission when he dies, rises, and ascends.

The gospel can be seen as three acts; first, in Act 1, Jesus reveals himself and preaches about the kingdom (Ch. 1-8). In this section, he begins to gather disciples, establish the kingdom, and begins to teach his followers how to live in the kingdom.

In Act 2, Jesus begins to develop the kingdom (Ch. 9-18). After he calls his disciples, he begins to train them in ministry. The three central blocks of teaching develop the kingdom and show them how to live as evangelists, members of the body of Christ, and ultimately disciple-makers. Interestingly, these chapters contain the only two mentions of the church (the ekklesia) in the gospels; first, in 16:18 with the great confession, “on this rock I will build my church,” and second, in 18:17, during Jesus’s teaching on discipline and accountability.

In the final section, Act 3, Jesus points to the future of the kingdom (Ch. 19-28). He commissions his disciples to take up his ministry, to build the kingdom, and to await the consummation. In this final scene, Jesus lays his life down for his disciples. They learn that the way of the kingdom is the way of suffering and death, the way of slow God-guided growth, and the way of taking up the cross to follow Christ. In the final discourse about future judgment, Jesus tells us how the story ends; the righteous are those who obey him, true disciples who will spend eternity with him when he returns, and the unrighteous who do not follow or obey him will be cast out away from his presence forever.

The Themes of Matthew
Through this masterful re-presentation of Jesus’s life, Matthew highlights several themes for us. First, the gospel is about discipleship. We learn that it’s not enough to simply be around Jesus, know about him, or participate with the crowd. We have to give our lives to him and follow him. He died for our sins to bring us back to God, and now we live for him, seeking to be like him in every way.

Second, this gospel is about Jesus’s wise teaching. Matthew was transformed by Jesus’s teaching (9:9; 10:3), and he wants to ensure we are too. Jesus is not just a religious taskmaster, he is the wise guide to the good life. He teaches as one with authority and insight foreign to the world - the wisdom of God in the flesh. Jesus’s disciples don’t just learn his teaching, they do it. If we want to follow him, we must listen to what he says and put it into practice.

Third, this gospel is about action. One of the most famous passages in the gospel of Matthew is the great commission; “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.’” (28:18-20). These are the marching orders for the disciples of Jesus. We are to take action; go make disciples by evangelizing the lost and discipling the found. We are empowered by all the authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus Christ, our Savior, is with us every step of the way.

How to Get the Most Out of Matthew
As you can tell, Matthew is not just a book to sit back and think about. It’s a discipleship manual for us. Each week during the sermon, we’ll focus on the theme of discipleship, looking at Jesus’s teaching and examples of faithful disciples so that we too can follow him. Our goal is nothing less than adopting the great commission as our motto and learning how to fulfill it in our everyday lives. We’ll be talking about how to live as kingdom people, how to walk in a way that pleases God, how to share our faith, and how to make disciples.

On every page, there is an invitation from Jesus himself: Will you follow me? Will you spend your life for the kingdom? Once you’ve found the treasure in the field, will you leverage everything you have for it? Will you take part in the great family reunion of God, sharing your faith and making disciples of all the nations? Will you leave the boats behind and follow him?

This series will begin on January 8 and run through Easter Sunday, April 7. Listen to the sermons in this series here.

Next Steps:

• Read: Start reading the “Jesus in All of Matthew” plan through the Bible App. 
• Pray: Ask God each week to show you how to take the next step in being a disciple of Jesus Christ. 
• Connect: Join one of our weekly small groups or Bible studies. 

This week during Borough Bible - as we've started to call it - we told the stories of the Tower of Babel and the calling of Abraham. Though humanity was drifting away from God, God had a plan for humanity. In the days of Seth, people were turning away from God, but a few started to call upon the name of the Lord. In the days of Noah, violence spread across the earth, but there was one faithful family. In the days of Abraham, people were worshipping idols and building towers for their own glory, but Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Unlike the others, Abraham wasn't walking with God. He was not upright and blameless. Joshua reminded the people of Israel that they were serving other gods (Josh. 24:2-3). But God intervened; he called out to Abraham and invited him to follow the one true living God. That day, Abraham’s life was changed and the world was too. What did Abraham do that was so spectacular? He believed God. He had faith. As the author of Hebrews writes, "By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called" (Heb. 11:8).

Before then and after, all the way up to today, that’s been the standard. We trust in the promises of God by putting our faith in Christ. Faith then and faith now. No works could ever earn God’s favor or approval; it’s all grace, his gift to us.

It’s hard to put into words the joy of telling this story to kids we love so much. After a round of “Father Abraham,” we talked about what it means to be a child of Abraham, a child of faith, a member of the family of God. You can trust in God at any age. You can start a decades long journey of faith at any time. Will you trust in him? Will you go where he calls you to go?

The apostle John put it this way, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” Amazing grace!

In Christ,
Pastor Cole 

Coming Up: Advent 2022
During Advent, we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Though he came as a humble baby laid in a manger, he was God in flesh, the king of the world. His kingdom would come in the same way; like a mustard seed or a treasure hidden in a field. At Christmas, we celebrate God's kingdom breaking in on the world then and breaking into our world now. Each week of this series will focus on the coming of the kingdom, the events, people involved, and the unfailing plan of God.

November 27: A Kingdom of Hope
December 4: A Kingdom of Peace
December 11: A Kingdom of Love
December 18: A Kingdom of Joy
December 25: A Kingdom and a King

New Events Calendar!
There's so much going on at Carlton Landing Community Church this fall, we don't want you to miss any of it! Now you can track all of our events on our webpage and app. Go to "Connect" on the navigation bar and select "Upcoming Events" to see everything scheduled for the next few months. If you're on the app, just scroll down on the home tab and you'll see the "Upcoming Events" icon.

We'll be updating this calendar to include Advent and Christmas events in the coming weeks!

It’s “Culinary Weekend” in Carlton Landing, and that’s got me thinking about the power of meals, tables, and conversations over great food. Though it might seem like a stretch to get from there to the gospels, we often forget how much time people in Jesus’s day spent eating together. 

You could almost tell the story of Jesus’s life as a series of tables. He’s celebrating at a wedding in Cana, eating with tax collectors and Pharisees, talking with the disciples, and going to lunch at Zacchaeus’s house. Jesus had some of his most important conversations around the table. Of course, they didn’t have many restaurants in Galilee in the first century, so they ate at each other’s houses. Hosts would throw dinner parties and invite the whole town. Several times in the gospels, God is portrayed as a host inviting everyone to dine at his table. 

One characteristic of God that sets him apart from the other deities in other religions is his hospitality. Other gods demand from their people, but ours serves. When the disciples came together for their “Last Supper” it was Jesus, not the servants, who washed their feet. In fact, at nearly every meal Jesus went to, he became the host. 

Last fall, I preached about the story of Jesus dining at Simon the Pharisee’s house in Luke 7:36-50. It would have been a lavish affair. Jesus was an honored guest. But in the middle of the meal, a woman entered the room. This was not a woman like the others who were undoubtedly present. This was a “woman of the city,” Luke puts it delicately. She was unexpected, uninvited, and unclean, but she brought a bottle of ointment over to Jesus and began to wash Jesus’s feet.

Simon and his guests were horrified, but Jesus began to speak. Reading Simon’s thoughts and looking at the woman, Jesus said, “her sins, which were many, are forgiven - for she loved much.” The one who is forgiven much loves much. The one who grasps all that God gave himself for us gives themself for others. 

That day, Simon’s table was an instrument of forgiveness. That evening, everyone reclining around the table saw the love of God on display. In that moment, Jesus taught every one of us a lesson in hospitality. Our tables are a tool for blessing. Jesus can host at our tables as well. 

There’s so much more to say, but here’s the takeaway: take a moment and think about the gift of your table and your home. God has given you an opportunity for joy and blessing in the center of your home. Let him host you there. Then turn around and put his hospitality on display. Have great food, have a great time, point to him, and show the world his love. Ask God for an opportunity to bless. He’ll always answer that prayer!

In Christ,
Pastor Cole

Events:
Sunday, October 9 at 1pm - Newcomer Dessert at the Feix House
If you’re new to the church, have questions, or just want to meet more people, join us for dessert at 1pm at Cole and Laura’s house in the Borough. 

Tuesdays starting October 4 from 3:30-4:45pm - Elementary and Middle Schoolers 
Starting on Tuesday afternoons this fall, head to Cole and Laura’s house for a snack, game, and Bible story. If you’re in 1st grade or older, start a fun new after-school tradition! Parents are welcome to stay or drop off and pick up. 

Wednesday, September 21 at 7pm - Small Group Bible Study
If you’re in town on Wednesday evening, join us for a small group Bible study. There is no better way to get to know others than through studying the Bible, discussing, and praying for one another. For the location, text (‪847-643-1089‬) or email (jess@carltonlanding.church) Jess Smuk. 

Coming Up: 
Ephesians Series
What did Paul pray for? I’ve always been intrigued by Paul’s prayers in the New Testament. At points they sound similar to ours, making requests for the sick, travel mercies, and opportunities to share the gospel. But at other points, they don’t sound anything like what we usually pray for. This week’s text is an example of a prayer we can learn so much from. In 1:15-23, Paul prays that the Christians in Ephesus and across the world would have the “eyes of their hearts enlightened” so that they can see the greatness of the power of God working in them. Now that’s a prayer we should all be praying!

• Sept. 18 - Paul’s Prayer of Power - Ephesians 1:15-23
• Sept. 25 - But God - Ephesians 2:1-10
• Oct. 2 - He Is Our Peace - Ephesians 2:11-22
• Oct. 9 - To Him Who Is Able - Ephesians 3:1-21

Hey CLCC, 

What a wonderful summer it’s been at our church! We’ve met new people, seen old friends, and watched God work in every area of our community. From Kanakuk Kampout until now it’s been a whirlwind of grace. Whether you’re here in CL or at home somewhere else, take a minute this week to thank God for what he’s done in your heart these last three months and say a prayer for what’s to come. 

One thing I’ve been reminded of this summer is God’s neverending newness. I can’t put it any better than G. K. Chesterton did in his book Orthodoxy, “Now, to put the matter in a popular phrase, it might be true that the sun rises regularly because he never gets tired of rising. His routine might be due, not to a lifelessness, but to a rush of life.

The thing I mean can be seen, for instance, in children, when they find some game or joke that they specially enjoy. A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life.

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, ‘Do it again’; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony.

But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, ‘Do it again’ to the sun; and every evening, ‘Do it again’ to the moon.

It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them.”

There is no monotony with God. His mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23), his grace lifts us up every day (Ps. 68:19), and every time we open our lips to pray, he is there to listen (Ps. 139:4). 

I learned this lesson all over again during our Psalms series this summer. Preaching is a dance between long-term preparation and the short-term response to what God is doing in our church. You can plan your sermon series out 6 months in advance - as I like to do - and then the week of God lays something new on your heart. The Spirit works in both processes. 

Midway through our series, I had planned to preach Psalm 4; “But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him,” and “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” As the week went on, I couldn’t get Psalm 23 out of my heart. It felt like that’s the psalm I needed to preach that week. 

There was just one problem, I preached Psalm 23 last summer. Now, that was in the tent, so we don’t have a recording of that sermon, and I don’t expect many to remember specific sermons across the years, but there was still a little voice saying, “Come on, you can’t be repeating yourself one year in!” What would the seminary profs say? 

As I began to study the text, something incredible happened. What struck me last year and what struck me this year were totally different. The text was the same, the message was similar, but what I learned this time was new. I’d never seen the series of contrasts before: the rod and the staff, the green pastures and the valley, the restoration of life and the removal of fear, provision and enemies. The psalm reminds us that our shepherd takes us all of these places. The pasture and the valley are both necessary parts of our journey to the house of the Lord forever. 

That Sunday afternoon, I went back and compared outlines. They looked like siblings, clearly from the same family, but each had a unique set of features from the parent psalm. More than that, it's just what we needed the following week at our church. It’s like that in our prayers and quiet times too. God is never monotonous; he is fresh and new every time we come to him. He is always the same, but there is always more to learn.

Maybe this fall will be that way for you and your family. It’s just another August, another school year, another season. But God has something new for you in this season. He’s got a calling on your fall. Listen to his familiar voice and see what he has in store!

In Christ, 
Pastor Cole
Cole@carltonlanding.church

Events:

Friday, August 12 at 6pm - Love the Community food boxes. 
The food is in; all that’s left is packing boxes. Tonight we’re packing 300 boxes for families in need. We’ve got a spaghetti dinner, diapers, baby food, and other snacks to give away. Meet at Community Culture Church in Eufaula at 6pm.

Saturday, August 13 at 10am - Love the Community Event. 

Saturday, August 13 at 6pm - Community Meal. 
Bring a BBQ dish or side to our Carlton Landing Community Meal at the Boulevard Pavilion. 

Sunday, August 14 at 3:30pm - Send off for the O’Neals.
Chris and Casey have poured so much into our students this summer! Come celebrate them and send them off for a new year of KLife in Conway, AR in the classroom building at the church. They’ll be back for Labor Day weekend! 

Sunday, September 4 - Labor Day Church Services
To make room for everyone to worship, we will have 2 services on Labor Day weekend at 8:30 and 10am. We will be having children’s church for kids 2-11 during the 10 am service.

Coming Up:
 
New Series - The Church 
This Sunday, I’ll be starting a new series on the Church. There is no organization, group, or family like the church. It is the body of Christ, the eternal plan of God, and the great family reunion of history. What is the church and what are we supposed to be doing? 

• Aug. 14 - The Church: The Calling - Acts 2:1-41
• Aug. 20 - The Church: The Mission - Acts 2:42-47
• Aug. 28 - The Church: The People  - Acts 6:1-7

Ephesians
On Labor Day weekend, we’ll begin the book of Ephesians. Paul’s magisterial letter lays out the plan of God, the glory of the church, and the mission for every believer. This letter will lead us into the fall, remind us of the truth about who God is and what he’s doing us, and awaken the calling he’s placed on our lives. 

New Administrative Assistant
We have a new member of our team at CLCC. Jess Smuk is joining us as an administrative assistant and will be supporting our volunteer teams, events, communication, and so many other things. (You can thank her for getting much of the info in this email ready!) Jess is a virtual assistant and calls Chicago home. She’s excited to be a part of what’s going on in our church, and I am thrilled to see the ways God expands the ministry at CLCC through her help. 

Her email is jess@carltonlanding.church if you want to welcome her to our team! 

Prayer Requests:
As kids in Carlton Landing and across the country begin school, let’s lift up all the teachers, parents, leaders, coaches, and so many others in our schools: Lord, give them wisdom, love, patience, grace, and a heart to see people the way you see them. Let our schools be filled with a love of learning, close relationships, and big dreams. Protect our students physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Guide our students in their studies to know you and the world you created. Magnify your name and fill this first week with joy. In the name of Jesus, amen.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” Ps. 127

Children are a gift from the Lord. We are so blessed with children and families in this church. We have the vibrant life that comes from having babies in the service, a children’s church building that’s already almost too small, and so many wonderful families who gather here to worship together. 

This morning, we celebrate the gift of God in giving us families. The Puritans used to say that every family is a little church. It’s where we learn to love God, serve him, model grace and forgiveness, work out our salvation together. Family is not easy, but it is one of God’s greatest blessings. 

This morning, we also celebrate the gift of children. Although we have many Christian traditions represented here, we all agree that as parents, one of our most important roles is raising children to know and love God and to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

What we’re doing today is modeled after what Jesus’ parents did in Luke 2:22-23, “And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” You might wonder why Jesus was dedicated, but we all understand why Mary and Joseph dedicated themselves to raising a godly son. Child dedication is also a parent dedication; a promise before God and the church, a commitment, and an open invitation for help and encouragement. Everyone here has a role to play this morning, and by God’s grace what we commit ourselves to today will affect eternity for these children. 

To the Parents:
Do you all dedicate your families to the Lord, to love him, serve him, and walk in his ways?
Will you love your children as you have been loved by God, giving grace, forgiving, and helping them to follow God's plan for their life? 

To the Congregation:
Will you walk alongside these families, praying for them, encouraging them, and pointing them to God? 

Prayer

Saints: God’s People in the Old Testament
May 8 - June 26, 2022

Jesus came to the world in the middle of God’s story. Though the world changed forever after his death and resurrection, he was continuing something God started long before. God was working among his people all through the Old Testament. Abraham believed God and he became the father of a great nation. Jacob wrestled with God and he renamed him Israel. His twelve sons became the twelve tribes of the people of God. Moses brought God’s people out of Egypt and instructed them in the law. Samuel judged God’s people and anointed Saul king. David was a man after God’s own heart and ruled during the golden age of the Kingdom of Israel. 

As the author of Hebrews said, “Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Heb. 11:32-34). 

There are so many stories of faithful people following God in the Old Testament. But these are not just inspiring stories. They are witnesses to us. The author of Hebrews goes on; “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2). 

They are witnesses that God keeps his promises to his people. Their faith propels us to run after Jesus. As we tell these stories, we remember what God has done in the past and we hope in what he’s doing right now. 

Each week through May and June, we’ll be telling these stories and taking the lessons of God’s faithfulness out into the world. Join us this Sunday, May 8 as we begin with Hannah, the mother of Samuel, to talk about prayer, perseverance, and pouring your heart out to the Lord.

The End and the Beginning

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent. 

Read: John 19:19-42
So they took Jesus, [17] and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. [18] There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. [19] Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” [20] Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. [21] So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” [22] Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

[23] When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, [24] so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

“They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”

So the soldiers did these things, [25] but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [26] When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” [27] Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

[28] After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” [29] A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. [30] When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

[31] Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. [32] So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. [33] But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. [34] But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. [35] He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. [36] For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” [37] And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

[38] After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. [39] Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. [40] So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. [41] Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. [42] So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (ESV)

This is it. This is how the Son of God dies. Alone, disgraced, put to death by the very people he came to save. It’s the most tragic scene in history: God’s only begotten son hangs suspended between heaven and earth, a perfect offering from God of God and to God on behalf of sinful humanity.

Jesus’s death completes something John spoke of at the very beginning of his gospel. “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

What a reversal. The very one rejected by humanity is the only source of life. In the wisdom of God, any one who believes in him can become a child of God. He used the gruesome death of his Son to give life. His sinless Son can make sinners clean. His Son died and rose so we can be with God forever. 

“Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Lamb of God for sinners slain!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Jesus Christ we praise your name!”

Pray:
Lord, you loved the world so much that you sent your only Son so that whoever believes in him could have eternal life. I believe in him. I trust in him for the forgiveness of my sins and eternal life with you. Give me the abundant life that only comes through you! Amen.

Share:
This is the last of our Lent devotions. On Easter Sunday we’ll celebrate the resurrection. Who do you know that needs to hear that message?

He Loved Them to the End

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent.

Read: John 19:1-16
Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. [2] And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. [3] They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. [4] Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” [5] So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” [6] When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” [7] The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” [8] When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. [9] He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. [10] So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” [11] Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

[12] From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” [13] So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. [14] Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” [15] They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” [16] So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.

Jesus has been flogged and beaten, mocked and accused, and shortly, he’ll be humiliated and killed on a Roman cross. Why didn’t somebody stop this? How could the crowd be so blind that they didn’t see the king of glory standing right in front of them? Though Pilate saw nothing worth condemning in Christ, the crowd demanded that he hand him over to be crucified.

Earlier in John, Jesus said something startling to the crowd; “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18).

He went to the cross on purpose. He laid his life down. This story is not just an instance of a crowd that got out of control or a Roman ruler playing pragmatics, but of a Savior who came to earth for the very purpose of dying for the sins of his people. He wasn’t compelled and he wasn’t forced, but he chose to go to the cross to die for you. He endured the cross for us. His sacrifice made a payment for your sins, for my sins, and for everyone who trusts in him. 

Pray:
Lord, I can’t grasp the fullness of your sacrifice for me. Help me today to see a little bit more of Christ’s love for me. Help me to see the majesty of the cross. Help me to feel sorrow for my sin and relief in your Son’s death. Make Christ’s sacrifice my greatest joy. Amen.

Share:
Why was the crowd so angry at Jesus? Why did Pilate hand Jesus over to die?

What are you learning this year about the cross? Who can you share the gospel with this week?

Two Kings

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent.

Read: John 18:28-40
Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. [29] So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” [30] They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” [31] Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” [32] This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

[33] So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” [34] Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” [35] Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” [36] Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” [37] Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” [38] Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. [39] But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” [40] They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. (ESV)

Jesus’s trial before Pilate is masterpiece. In this encounter, Jesus stands before the most one of the most important and powerful men in the world. Pilate represents the whole might and authority of the Roman Empire; what he says goes. It becomes clear very quickly, though, that for all of Pilate’s power, Jesus is the one in control of this exchange.

Pilate is interested in earthly kingdoms, Jesus in the heavenly kingdom of his Father. Pilate wants to know what truth, Jesus was standing right in front of him. Pilate wants a diplomatic solution, Jesus is going to provide eternal salvation. The might of Rome looks unimportant next to the King of kings. 

Pray:
God, you all-powerful, eternal, and wise. The most powerful human being is nothing before you. Use this story to lower my estimation of humanity and raise my estimation of you. Help me to follow Jesus as my Lord, Savior, and King, to trust him and depend on him alone. Amen. 

Share:
Pilate doesn’t see anything to convict Jesus for; why does he bend to the crowd? What does Jesus mean when he says, “my kingdom is not of this world?” 

Who are some of the competing kings or rulers in your life? How have you been reminded of Jesus’s kingship lately?

The Denials and the Comeback

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent. 

Read: John 18:15-27
Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, [16] but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. [17] The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” [18] Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

[19] The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. [20] Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. [21] Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” [22] When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” [23] Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” [24] Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

[25] Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” [26] One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” [27] Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. (ESV)

The Apostle Peter might be best remembered for this scene. He’s the disciple that denied Jesus three times. After following Jesus for three years and swearing to follow him to the very end, Peter panics. He freezes up, lets his fear get the best of him, and he denies his Savior - even as he’s going to his death - not once, but three times.

What Peter should be best remembered for is the comeback. After Jesus rises from the dead, he restores Peter and charges him to shepherd the flock. And that’s exactly what Peter does. He becomes the leader of the early church, the intrepid preaching that could not be silenced by the authorities, and the disciple who stood up and explained what was happening on the day of Pentecost.

What a change restoration made for Peter. It does the same thing for us. We know God’s grace most when we’re confronted with our own shortcomings. Our sin reveals the depth of his love. Our failures illuminate his perfection. His forgiveness fills us with the strength to carry out the mission.

Pray:
Lord, remind me that even in my weakness you are strong. Your forgiveness gives me life. Thank you for giving me grace each day so that I, like Peter, can be restored. Keep me from sin, and when I do sin, remind me of the payment you made through your son. Amen.

Share:
Why do you think Peter denied Jesus those three times? How did that affect Peter’s ministry moving forward?

Can you think of a time you’ve been restored? Is there someone you know who needs to be restored?

The Point of No Return

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent. 

Read: John 18:1-12
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. [2] Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. [3] So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. [4] Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” [5] They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. [6] When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. [7] So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” [8] Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” [9] This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” [10] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) [11] So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” [12] So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. (ESV)

This is the turning point, the moment of no return. If Jesus wanted to put on the breaks, he had to do it here. A few chapters earlier, Jesus said, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour” (John 12:27). This was Jesus's purpose. Now that the time was right, he had to die. It was the only way to pay for sin and the only way to bring people back to God.

Throughout the scene, Jesus is in control. Even when he speaks to the soldiers, they fall to the ground. It brings something else Jesus said earlier to mind, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18).

This was all according to God’s plan. Jesus willingly went to his death, which makes it all the sweeter. He laid down his life on our behalf. Then he took it back up so we can be with him. What man intended for evil, God intended for good. 

Pray:
Lord, you sent your son to willingly go to the cross for my sake. Even in the Garden, he didn’t stop the guards but went on to an unjust trial and an untimely death. Thank you for the cross and for the sacrifice. Remind me of this tremendous act of love when I need to think about it today. Amen.

Share:
What were the disciples doing and thinking when Judas and the soldiers came to arrest Jesus? Why did Jesus allow himself to be arrested?

What difference does it make that Jesus went to the cross willingly?

The Atriumphal Entry

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent. 

Read: John 12:12-19
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. [13] So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” [14] And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,

[15] “Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”

[16] His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. [17] The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. [18] The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. [19] So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (ESV)

Here, in this one moment, we finally see Jesus get the glory and adoration he observes. He is God in the flesh, the King of kings and Lord of lords, but he’s been treated like a servant most of his life. He’s been misunderstood, rejected, plotted against, and relegated to the life of a traveling teacher. But on his entry into Jerusalem, the people finally start treating him like a king.

It’s easy to think that if we had been there, we would have been there we would have seen him for who he truly is, but the benefits of hindsight are easy to forget. Jesus wasn’t the kind of king they were looking for. Often, he’s not the kind of king we would expect. As the following week shows, Jesus was a king who would suffer and die for his people.

This passage is an important reminder, though. It gives us a small glimpse of who Jesus is and what he ultimately came to do. He is the King of kings, but he was not crowned by human beings. He was crowned by his Father in heaven because he died for the sins of his people and rose from the dead. Now he sits at the Father’s right hand, reigning forever. 

Pray:
Lord, remind me that you turn so many of my assumptions and expectations upside down. Help me not to try to fit you into my box for what a king must be like. Let me see your glory! Open my eyes to your kingdom and reign in heaven and on earth. Amen.

Share:
Why did the people want to crown Jesus king? What expectations did they have from him?

Can you think of a time when you were disappointed with God because you had the wrong expectations? How do you see Jesus reigning now?

Jesus Is Alive

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent.

Read: John 17:13-26
But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. [14] I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. [15] I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [16] They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. [17] Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. [18] As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. [19] And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

[20] “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, [21] that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. [22] The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, [23] I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. [24] Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. [25] O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. [26] I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (ESV)

It’s common to wonder what Jesus’s ministry two thousand years ago has to do with us. Are we just remembering a great religious figure? Are we honoring his life and teaching? One of the things we celebrate at Easter is that Jesus is alive! Not in some figurative way, as though only his spirit is living on in us or in the church; we believe that he rose bodily from the dead and lives forever. He is as alive now as he was in the 1st Century.

Here, he prays for all of those who would believe the gospel through the words of the Apostles. Go down enough spiritual generations, and that’s us. Every person alive today who believes the Gospel did so because the Apostles spread the word. By the Spirit, the gospel has gone out to every continent and we pray that it will come to every country, every people group, and every person.

Jesus prayed for this to happen, and he’s still praying for us - even as you read this. Paul says in Romans 8:34, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Our savior is alive and interceding. He is not dead, he has not left us alone, and he will never fail. 

Pray:
God, thank you for raising your Son from the dead. Thank you that the Son and the Spirit are praying on my behalf even as I pray to you now. Give me the confidence that comes from their prayers. Help me to live like Jesus is alive today. Amen.

Share:
How can we see Jesus’s glory today? Why does he pray for this?

How encouraging is it to know that Jesus is praying for us? What difference does it make in your life to know that Jesus is alive?

The Prayer of a Wonderful Savior

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent. 

Read: John 17:1-12
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, [2] since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. [3] And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. [4] I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. [5] And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

[6] “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. [7] Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. [8] For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. [9] I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. [10] All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. [11] And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. [12] While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (ESV)

After Jesus arrives in the Garden of Gethsemane, and after he’s finished instructing his disciples, he turns his eyes to heaven and begins to pray. This prayer, Jesus’s longest recorded prayer in the Bible, is called the “High Priestly Prayer” because Jesus intercedes for us before God. Though he prays about the cross and his imminent death, his focus is on us - on you! - the very people he is going to die.

Notice what Jesus prays for: glory, eternal life, and defense. Isn’t it amazing to know that on Jesus's final night on earth, he prayed that we would know God? He prayed that we would be preserved, guarded, and protected until we see him again in the kingdom. What an incredible prayer. What a wonderful Savior!

Pray:
Lord, I want to pray these words like Jesus did. Thank you for the gift of eternal life, knowing you. Glorify your Son and your name in every part of my life. Everything I have is from you. Protect me and keep me in your love. Amen

Share:
What are some of the ways God keeps and protects us? What does Jesus mean by “make them one, as we are one”?

How can you model your prayers on this prayer for the next few days? What’s something that challenges you in this prayer?

Turning Sorrow into Joy

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Lent. 

Read: John 16:16-28
“A little while, and you will see me no longer; again a little while, and you will see me.” [17] So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” [18] So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” [19] Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? [20] Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. [21] When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. [22] So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. [23] In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. [24] Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

[25] “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. [26] In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; [27] for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. [28] I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” (ESV)

The world is full of sorrow. Once, when Max Lucado was asked about the secret to his teaching, he replied, “Teach to broken hearts and you’ll never have an empty room.” He’s right about that. One thing social media has done is expand our knowledge of the amount of sorrow in the world every day. If only there were a way to transform sorrow into joy!

Jesus describes a way to do this. What is your sorrow leading to? If we mourn without hope, sorrow and joy are opposites. But we don’t mourn that way. Jesus reminds the disciples that this is a hopeful kind of mourning, like the pain that comes with childbirth, which will produce great joy. All of our sorrow here on earth is leading to something. Nothing is wasted, nothing is forgotten. God sees our struggles and he’s using them to prepare for us “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17). Therefore, Paul writes, “We do not lose heart.”

We rejoice even in our suffering and sorrow because we know they are leading us to Christ. He tells his disciples that their sorrow will be turned to joy when they see him again. It’s reminiscent of the Psalmist’s words: “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:5-6). 

Pray:
O God, take every part of my sorrow and turn it into joy. Remind me that this is not a sorrow that leads to death, but a momentary affliction that will soon give way to endless rejoicing. Be with me in sadness, suffering, and disappointment. Make your presence my joy, today and every day. Amen.

Share:
Jesus knew that his suffering would end in joy because he would rise from the dead. What comfort can we gain from his perspective? Do you think much of the resurrection?

Can you think of a time when God turned your mourning into joy?
We have been comforted to comfort others. Can you think of a time that your own sorrow helped turn someone else’s sorrow into joy?