Tag: Christ

Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to Him, so He stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for ?” – He asked. “Jesus the Nazarene” – they replied. “I Am He” – Jesus said. (Judas – who betrayed Him – was standing with them.) As Jesus said “I Am He” they all drew back and fell to the ground !  Once more He asked them – “Who are you looking for ?” And again they replied – “Jesus the Nazarene.” “I told you that I Am He” – Jesus said. “And since I am the One you want – let these others go.” He did this to fulfill His own statement: “I did not lose a single one of those You have given Me.”

In Part 2 of my sermon leading-up to Resurrection Sunday I continue from the Gospel of John – Chapter 18. And that’s Verses 4 to 9. The Roman soldiers and Temple guards – led by Judas the betrayer – repeatedly asked for “Jesus the Nazarene” even though they knew exactly who He was. Jesus repeatedly told them “I Am He” – also meaning “The ‘I Am’ is here” – and “I am the Lord”. Jesus presented Himself just as the Father presented Himself to Moses.

God replied to Moses – “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses – “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh – the God of your ancestors – the God of Abraham – the God of Isaac – and the God of Jacob – has sent me to you. This is my eternal name – my name to remember for all generations. (Exodus 3:14-15)

Our God is omnipotent.

When the Roman soldiers drew back and fell to the ground upon Jesus proclaiming that “I Am He” – they didn’t really understand why that happened. They got back up and confronted Jesus who demanded that His disciples be let go. Jesus was about to sacrifice His own life for His followers. He was protecting His sheep from the wolves by the power of the name the Father gave Him. He guarded them – except for the one headed for destruction (Judas).

I’ll continue this journey through John Chapter 18 – next Sunday Scripture.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

After saying these things – Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with His disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. Judas – the betrayer – knew this place – because Jesus had often gone there with His disciples. The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons – they arrived at the olive grove.

That’s from the first 3 verses of the Gospel of John – Chapter 18. It’s the start of the suffering and death of Jesus. He had just completed His final prayer to the Father (John Chapter 17). On that Thursday He and His disciples left the city and walked across the dry river valley just outside the east walls of town.

He wanted to pray once more in one of His favorite places – Gethsemane – a beautiful garden of flourishing olive trees along the western foot of the Mount Of Olives. He and His disciples went there often to rest and pray.

Armed Roman soldiers and Temple guards – led by Judas – met Jesus and His disciples there. Jesus already knew what was going to happen.

At The Last Supper Jesus said, “I tell you the truth – one of you will betray Me ! It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” He gave the bread to Judas who ate the bread. Satan entered into him at that moment. Judas left at once. He went out into the darkness of the night.

I’ll continue this journey through John Chapter 18 – next Sunday Scripture.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Greetings my friends ! On this 4TH Sunday of January of 2021 I begin my 15TH year as part of a church family. I’m also in the middle of my 15TH year on this fantastic journey believing and following and trusting Christ my Savior.

Later this morning I’ll be preaching my first sermon of 2021 to my church family. It’s titled “Kingdom & World”, and it’s mostly based on the Gospel Of John. It’s a follow-up to my previous Gospel Of John sermon from 8 weeks ago titled “Spirit & Truth”. That sermon was a follow-up to a Gospel Of John sermon that I preached in both 2014 (to my previous church family) and 2016 (to my current church family) titled “Vine & Branches”.

God has a sense of humor. I’ve been studying John – his 3 letters and his Gospel – for about 4 months now. Without even looking for it on my computer – I somehow stumbled across my very first “forgotten” sermon ever preached. It too was a Gospel Of John sermon (8:31-47) titled “Jesus & Abraham”. I preached it 9 years ago on New Year’s Day 2012 to my first church family. I actually wrote much of it in the middle of the Caribbean on a cruise during the week before Christmas. To this day it remains the only sermon that I was told to write. Every other sermon since that very first one I’ve written on my own by choice.

I call it my “forgotten” sermon – not really because of the content of the sermon – but because of the strange circumstances surrounding me preaching for the first time on that New Year’s Day. I’d intentionally forgotten that Sunday morning over time, but every so often I’m reminded of it. God places those moments on our journey intentionally so that we are given the chance to react appropriately to them. If we don’t react positively then He keeps giving us chances to turn a valley into a peak – to build our faith in Him.

Looking back upon that first sermon I thought that it was good for its time. I hope to resurrect it, reimagine it, and rewrite it later this year. I think that I can do so much better glorifying God with those 17 verses of Scripture.

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries

Greetings my friends ! On this 3RD Sunday of January of 2021 I observe 14 years as part of a church family. I walked-in to my first church almost exactly 5 months after salvation began. I realized that I could not go much further on this journey without being part of a church family. It was only a matter of a few weeks when I determined that I would be with that church family for the rest of my life.

That didn’t work out. I left after 8 years and 2 months, and I really left about a year to a year-and-a-half too late. I don’t need to get in to the details as to why I left. It’s not because of a single person or a single reason. It’s also not important. Let me just add this: When you’re stalling on this journey, and you’re no longer moving forward towards God as fast as you were previously – then it’s time to move on to a place where you can resume forward momentum. Sometimes that place is in a different role where you already are. Sometimes that place is a different place.

I’ve been with my current church family for almost 6 years now. Thanks to my Lead Pastor and my Praise & Worship Pastor I’ve been blessed with endless opportunities to expand my ministry on Sunday mornings and beyond, and I’ve claimed those opportunities to glorify God and expand His Kingdom here on earth.

As it looks right now I’ll be with my current church family for about 3 more years – until I retire from my full-time job and move about 3 hours away. I’ll be part of a new church family in my future retirement town.

As I look back at these past 14 years one thing has been missing since the very beginning. It’s not for a lack of trying. I’ve been trying since the very beginning – perhaps trying just a bit too hard at the start, and then easing off in the later years. I’m not giving up.

I’m looking for a brother in Christ who I can learn from – and who can learn from me. A brother who I can brainstorm with and bounce ideas off of over meals. A brother who I can do ministries with to change the world. A brother who I can pray with. A brother who I can write sermons with. A brother who’s been where I’ve been – unsaved and of the world – for more years than rescued, saved, and of God’s Kingdom. A brother who I can depend on at any moment of any day to be there for me, and I would want to be that same brother for him as well. A brother who I can trust more than any other. I haven’t found that close brother yet. A few have come close. I’ll keep praying about it. Pray for me too.

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls – the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise – two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone ?  A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

All rights reserved (c) 2021 Christopher M. Day, CountUp Ministries