A Defining Walk.....

Defining Moments (2)

Wow! Pondering Easter weekend is quite the daunting task. Good Friday was amazing, challenging, intense, and painful. The experience offered at Emmanuel was provocative.... from my own personal sense of denial to my culpability in the death of Christ (driving a piece of art attached to my name to the cross makes the cross far less distant, far more personal, and my accountability far more real) to the reality that life is a vapor, a mist, sand falling through my fingers, to a longing to lay my blindfold aside and recognize the majesty, passion, freedom, and consuming joy found in the cross and the empty tomb! I am asking God to continually open the eyes of my heart to His death/my freedom and His life/my hope! Thank you, God for the privilege of 'celebrating' Good Friday. Thank you God, for an wonderful worship leader in Carrie who gave incredible energy to provide such a rich experience in Christ. From the heart of Emmanuel, we are thankful that Carrie leads us toward Christ!

Last night and this morning, we began with spine-tingling words.... It's Friday, but Sunday is a-coming! When we launched into "Arise", I honestly think we should have crowd surfed the empty coffin. We should have passed the coffin as a physical reminder of the spiritual reality of Easter Sunday. Death, where is your victory... Death, where is your sting. It is swallowed up in the victory of Christ as He exploded from the grave! To join with the body at EBC, and sing of the worth of our God in Christ.... Wow! I really was lost in Him as we sang Crown Him with many crowns and reacted , with hearts burning, to the worth of the lamb of God. We echoed the song of heaven... Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive glory, honor, power and dominion forever. Amen!

Practically, it was sweet to see hundreds in all three encounters/ gatherings this weekend... Easter allowed more people than at any other time in our churches history, to experience the lifer altering message of grace found in Christ.... spiritually, eternity willl reflect the results of the defining moment at the crossroads of Easter, life, friendships, and Christ's invitation to Himself. Lives were changed at Emmanuel this weekend. Defining moments occured. Life is sweet.

Maybe a singular takeaway (there were quite a few) from the journey with with Cleo and Sam (we made up Sam's name : ) ... I live far too often in the seen. However, God is with me.... He lives in me. For all that will read this blog and have embraced Him as Savior, He travels the road - not just with you, but In you. I truly want to recognize Him. To live in a wildly mad love relationship with Christ. To feel my heart burn, not for the trivial, but for Him and His eternal values, purposes, and ways. I really want to ask Him to continue to open my eyes to Him. I found it pretty interesting that v.32 said, we enjoyed our conversation with Him and He opened the scriptures to us (Luke 24.13-end)......Could it be pretty simple. Passion is developed.... clarity of sight is developed as I talk with Him throughout the day and as He talks with me through His truth.... His Word.... His life.

Easter with the Emmanuel family was......AWESOME! (Yes, Opie, I think awesome fits!) I thank my God for such an amazing family..... friends who share the road with me in purposeful, passionate pursuit of Christ. Thanks!

Hey, what was your takeaway from Easter? Click on comments below and write away.

Happy Easter. It WAS Friday, but Sunday came!! Oh Yeah!!!

Mark