THE BEAUTY OF WEAKNESS - Christ Community Church · By imitating Christ, we replace the pattern of...

THE BEAUTY OF WEAKNESS:A WALK TOWARD EASTER

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL2018

CONTENTSWEEK 1 - PURPOSE OF LENT

WEEK 2 - UNCOMMON COMMUNITY

WEEK 3 - UNUSUAL POWER

WEEK 4 - UNSHAKABLE FAITH

WEEK 5 - UNTHINKABLE GENEROSITY

WEEK 6 - UNAVOIDABLE SUFFERING

WEEK 7 - UNIMAGINABLE GLORY

EASTER - UNENDING LIFE

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WEEK 4ACTS 4:1-31

THE BEAUTY OF A WALK TOWARD EASTERWEAKNESS:

AN INTRODUCTIONThey say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what if beauty lies elsewhere? What if beauty isn’t simply found in strength or youth or passion or style? What if beauty could surprise us where we least expect it? Perhaps that kind of beauty—an unexpected beauty—could inspire us in ways we never thought possible.

This Lenten season, we’re looking for beauty in the small things, in the humble things, and in the difficult things. As we explore the story of Jesus’ first followers, we hope to learn how incomparable beauty can spring from unimaginable challenge. We want to see the beauty of suffering, the beauty of faith, and the beauty of weakness.

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WEEK 1INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE OF LENT

THE LENTEN SEASONREAD: Colossians 1:9-10Lent is a season of preparation—an annual period of reflection and renewal when the church readies itself for Easter. A primary way that the church prepares for its celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is through conscious engagement of the spiritual disciplines.

Spiritual disciplines are everyday practices that form us into people who better resemble Christ. They remind us of what’s most important. They teach us to slow down. They focus our attention and quiet our restless hearts. They’re not acts that earn us righteousness, but rather habits that, over time, train us to live out the righteousness we’ve received in Christ.

Two key disciplines—the reading of Scripture and prayer—are remarkably formative in the life of the believer. This devotional has been designed to give

And so, from the day we heard, we have

not ceased to pray for you, asking that you

may be filled with the knowledge of his will

in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner

worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work

and increasing in the knowledge of God. COLOSSIANS 1:9-10

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our church daily opportunities to read God’s Word and to encourage prayer. Our desire is that our communal engagement with this Lenten devotional for the next 40 days will form us in Christlikeness.

This devotional will guide us through our study of Acts. Each Sunday, we will focus on the text that was preached in our worship services. Throughout the rest of the week, that sermon’s theme will be explored. And on Saturdays, we’ll reflect together on the story of a Christian martyr, who might remind us how weakness and persecution are, in reality, beautiful demonstrations of faith and confidence in God.

As we begin this journey together, take time today to pause and pray. Ask God for the desire, the discipline, and the determination to engage this devotional wholeheartedly, so that you might be formed more fully into one who walks in a manner worthy of the Lord.

Tyler CherneskyAssociate Pastor - Downtown Campus

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And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. DEUTERONOMY 8:3

LENT AS FASTINGREAD: Deuteronomy 8:3 Before the parables, before calling the disciples, before the cross, Jesus fasts for forty days and nights in the desert (Matthew 4:1-4). And it’s in the desert He’s challenged to make bread. A seemingly simple request is in fact a challenge against the very sustaining work of God. And yet Jesus is not swayed, but responds with the words of Deuteronomy, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

It seems counterintuitive. Why ever restrict yourself? Why make your body weaker through not eating food? And yet, that’s just it. Like Israel, and like Jesus, there is a humbling through our hunger. Fasting is a time of denying our own strength and denying ourselves pleasure in order that we might more clearly know the sustaining work of our Lord. In fasting we find not only our own weakness, but recognize the faithfulness and strength of our God.

Fasting and Lent go hand in hand. As we begin our journey to the cross this Lenten season, we are invited to join Jesus. To make space for God to work. Lent invites us to change our pace and perspective, that we might understand the depth of our weakness and our need for a God who gives us life and breath. During Lent we are invited to fast from something significant in order to loosen our attachment and recalibrate our contentment. In this way we might be able to recognize, just as Paul does, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

Jordan GreenAssociate Pastor - Leawood Campus

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LENT AS REPENTANCEREAD: Joel 2:12-13The call to repentance is central to the message of the Bible. It’s a call articulated time and time again. It’s voiced by the Old Testament prophets, and it’s a call that Jesus Himself issues as He begins His earthly ministry: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). Repentance—owning up to our sin and deciding to change direction—is at the heart of the Bible’s teaching. It’s what Jesus came to preach. It’s central to our discipleship. It’s how we become like Christ.

Repentance is both awareness and action; it’s acknowledgement and decision. Repentance happens when we say, “This behavior, this thought, this habit is sin. And instead of letting it become the increasing pattern of my life, I’m going to take conscious steps with God’s help and my community’s support toward something different, toward something better.”

“Yet even now,” declares the LORD,

“return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with

mourning; and rend your hearts and not

your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and

merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in

steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.

JOEL 2:12-13

For centuries, Lent has been a season of repentance within Christ’s church. Generations of Christ-followers have embarked upon journeys of personal repentance as they’ve reflected on Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf.

As we begin our Lenten reflection this year, we’ve got to ask: Will you examine your heart? Will you ask God to reveal where sin might be lurking—in your priorities, in your speech, in your spending, in your faithfulness, in your productivity? And will you take tangible steps toward change?

Many times, repentance can feel like death. But it’s a death that leads to life. In dying to habits and attitudes that make us less like Christ, we allow Christ’s life to gain deeper root in us. And in this way, the sacrifice and self-denial of repentance becomes beautiful. In this way, the decision to repent—to admit that we are not all we should be—allows us to become what God designed us to be.

Tyler CherneskyAssociate Pastor - Downtown Campus

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And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” LUKE 9:23

LENT AS IMITATIONREAD: Luke 9:23During Lent we are invited anew into the life of Jesus. We are invited to follow and learn from the Master, to imitate the one who gave His life for us all.

By imitating Christ, we replace the pattern of our old life with the pattern of His. Jesus invites us into the yoke of imitation (Matthew 11:28) so that we might learn to live our lives as He would, so that we might perceive as Jesus perceives, do what Jesus does, and love what Jesus loves.

Make no mistake: we must imitate Him. Christ knows the best way to live. Christ’s way often looks like the way of weakness, it looks like a life of carrying a cross, but what we find when we follow His path is that it’s actually the way toward a full and beautiful life.

Of course, we can’t follow Jesus alone. We must also be imitators of those who faithfully follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). By imitating others, our imagination is sparked and our hearts are stirred. Which is why, this Lenten season, we are walking through the book of Acts with those first followers, and each week hearing the stories of those who gave their very lives for our king, Jesus.

In this way, Lent is not simply an individual walk, but a communal journey. To truly follow the One ahead of us, we need those who have gone before us and those who walk beside us.

This Lent, you must ask: Whom am I following? Am I looking to Jesus with a desire to imitate Him? And are there Christ-followers in my life who serve as examples of behavior and devotion?

Jordan GreenAssociate Pastor - Leawood Campus

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UNSHAKABLEFAITH

ACTS 4:1-31

WEEK 2ACTS 2:42-47

UNCOMMON COMMUNITY

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I give thanks to my God always for you because of the

grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:4

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UNCOMMON COMMUNITYREAD: Acts 2:42-47Because I’m a pastor, I’ve received countless emails, books, and conference postcards promising some revolutionary new way of doing church. When I take time to look over the proposed “revolution,” I can start to wonder: Am I missing something? What makes a church...a church?

Perhaps you’ve asked that question too.

Whenever this question rises up within me, I return to the book of Acts, but not because the book of Acts provides a portrait of a pristine, perfect church doing everything right. To the contrary, everything the earliest Christians do in the book of Acts feels so…normal.

They read and studied the Bible together. They helped one another apply the Bible to their lives. They ate together. They laughed together. They prayed together. It’s all so normal, so everyday.

Certainly, in the midst of this normal activity the Holy Spirit empowered this community to be a powerful witness sent into the world. But it all started with this normal stuff.

I sometimes wonder if the church’s anemic presence in the world is a result of our being increasingly unavailable to one another. We’re not available to pray for one another. To give to one another. To teach one another. To worship with one another. The Holy Spirit does not need us to be exceptional to work His power through us. He just needs us to be available. Being available to do the normal, everyday things by His power makes us an uncommon community.

Tim SpanburgCampus Pastor – Shawnee Mission Campus

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And they devoted themselves to the

apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the

breaking of bread and the prayers.

ACTS 2:42

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“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” DEUTERONOMY 6:7

DEVOTED TO THE APOSTLES’ TEACHINGREAD: Deuteronomy 6:4-9Ideas have consequences.

This is the title of a 1948 book by Richard Weaver, known far more for its title than its actual content. Weaver’s biggest misstep was choosing a title so clearly apparent that you understand the nature of the book without ever needing to pick it up (though you really should—it’s masterful!).

Ideas indeed have consequences. The ideas we believe to be true have profound implications for how we live, what we love, and how we engage the world around us. Ideas matter.

Perhaps this is why the central text of ancient Israel

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was primarily an idea to be believed. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). So central was this one idea that it was to be discussed, taught, and remembered constantly by the Israelites (6:6-9). Because ideas have consequences for how we live.

Perhaps this is why Jesus is introduced to us as “the Word” who took on flesh (John 1:14). Jesus is our teacher par excellence, and He invites us to learn from Him (Matthew 11:29) in both His practices and His precepts. Because this Idea changes everything.

Perhaps this is why the Christian tradition has always emphasized teaching in the gathered community (Acts 2:42). Because the ideas we believe give shape to how we live as the body of Christ in the world.

The Christian faith is much more than a set of beliefs, but it is certainly not less. Ideas matter. They have profound consequences. So, what do you really believe—about God? Yourself? Other people? The world around you?

Or, if you’re really brave, try going at it the other way around: If you really want to know what ideas have shaped you, look at how you live. You might be surprised by some of the lies you didn’t even know you believe.

Dave HuberDirector of Leadership Development - Made to Flourish

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THE FELLOWSHIP OF DISCIPLESREAD: John 13:34-35What if all Christians had a particular smell? Or a particular dress code? That would set us apart, right? Perhaps Jesus considered these genius ideas, but decided instead that the distinguishing mark of His disciples should be love. Not just any love, though. Jesus’ “new commandment” is a call into the deep and great and wide and visible love that Jesus demonstrated Himself. We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ in the same way, in the same manner, and with the same magnitude that Jesus has loved us.

Sometimes I imagine that this kind of fellowship—this life-giving “agape” fellowship among disciples—mysteriously glows. Perhaps in some unseen way, it does, in fact, glow with the glory of Christ, drawing the attention of passersby to the goodness and the newness of what God has done.

The fellowship of the disciples was to be known, not hidden. For who would do such a great thing and then hide it under a basket?

May we glow with the love of Christ—expressed through the undying love we have for the fellowship of the church and for our world.

Joey WilsonPastor of Middle School Ministries – Leawood Campus

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“A new commandment I give to you, that you love

one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

By this all people will know that you are my

disciples, if you have love for one another.”

JOHN 13:34-35

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Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:24

EATING…FOR OTHERS?

READ: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1It’s not hard for me to admit that I enjoy a good meal. Growing up, my dad used the phrase “that hit the spot” to refer to food or drink that was particularly satisfying. I think we’ve probably all had that experience, even if we haven’t uttered that precise phrase. What’s better than the first sip of a delicious beverage, or the last bite of a scrumptious meal?

However, when I reflect upon my food consumption, I regret to admit that virtually all of it is self-centered. This may not strike you as a problem. You may be thinking, “Don’t we eat food to sustain ourselves?” Of course. But stop for a moment and read 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1.

These verses appear in the midst of a broader debate about food previously offered to idols. And while the nuances of that discussion are complex, there is an important principle we can extract: Literally everything we do—including eating—can be done to God’s glory (10:31) and for the good of our neighbor (10:24).

This Lenten season, what would it look like for you to eat…for others? How could you be community-focused in your eating? While there are lots of ways to answer that question, here’s a simple and tangible next step: Find a free night on your calendar before Easter and invite someone into your home to share a meal.

Paul BrandesAssociate Pastor – Brookside Campus

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Therefore confess your sins to each other and

pray for each other so that you may be

healed. The prayer of a righteous person is

powerful and effective. JAMES 5:16 (NIV)

PRAYING TOGETHER

READ: James 5:16When I was in college, there was a small chapel in the heart of my campus that became a true haven for me. It was a place to meet friends and study God’s Word, to cry or to stop by to pray on the way to a big test. It was small and quiet, right in the middle of everything, and when I think about it today, it warms my heart. My favorite memories in that special place are memories of praying there with my friends. In fact, we would often gather at the chapel to pray for one another, to share our joys and pains, to ask for forgiveness or strength in difficult situations, and to encourage one another.

It was such a new idea to me at the time. Until that point, prayer had been something I did on my own, or in a worship service. But this was different. There was something so powerful about praying together intimately with another person or with a group of friends. It united us in our faith as a community, and connected us as we worshiped the Father. We cried, laughed, and were vulnerable with one another and with God.

Tim Keller writes, “Everywhere God is, prayer is.” “Since God is everywhere and infinitely great,” he insists, “prayer must be all-pervasive in our lives.”

Prayer is for all of life, including our life together in community. Pray vulnerably with your spouse, your kids, and your Community Group. It deepens your relationships with one another and with our Heavenly Father.

Jennifer KrogmannPastor of Children’s Ministries – Olathe Campus

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RETELL, RENEW, REPEATREAD: Hebrews 10:19-39I remember the first time I taught my daughters how to play catch with a baseball.

Stand this way...

hold your glove that way...

step into it, throw across your body…

Very good!

Now, do it again…

Whether it’s throwing and catching a ball, or rehearsing scales on a musical instrument, or reciting definitions of terms or the periodic table of elements, the act of repetition shapes us. When

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.HEBREWS 10:24-25

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we repeat something, a profoundly unique process takes place that fuses our minds and bodies to new information. Habits, knowledge, or skills that once lived outside ourselves become part of us.

Joining in community for Sunday corporate worship gatherings is, likewise, a repetitive act with incredible implications in our lives, not only for Sunday morning, but also for our imaginations and practice on Monday and beyond.

When we gather in worship, we tell one another God’s story again and again; a shared story of the covenant God has made with His people, of a broken humanity torn apart by the ravages of sin, of a redeemed community made whole by the grace of God through the person of Jesus. In the repetition of this story and our worship practices, our character is being formed, ultimately, for the sake of the world as we participate in God’s mission in reclaiming all of creation back to Himself. We are reminded, renewed, and remolded, and in the process, Christ’s character becomes divinely woven into our own. The author of Hebrews reminds us not only of our need of this repetition and spiritual formation, but also the role we play in the formation of others. Don’t stop meeting together! Stir one another toward love and good works! Encourage one another to keep on keeping on! You were not meant to do this alone.

Randy BonifieldPastor of Corporate Worship – Leawood Campus

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POLYCARP OF SMYRNAWEEK 2: Martyr StoryIn the first and second centuries, Rome had no love for Christians. And while persecution was not widespread until the reign of Marcus Aurelius, it was Roman policy to punish Christians simply for claiming allegiance to “the name.” Individuals and families faced punishment because they were part of the group, because they embraced the identity of “Christian.” They weren’t harassed or tortured because of misconduct or civil disobedience, but merely because they belonged to this uncommon community that worshiped Christ over Caesar.

One of those who faced persecution was eighty-six-year-old Polycarp of Smyrna, who was a second-century bishop and a direct disciple of the apostle John. The story of his death, of his sacrifice for the Lord, is the oldest written account of a Christian martyr outside the biblical narrative.

Polycarp’s death was an imitation of what Christ suffered. He was betrayed by members of his household, taken by the captain of the police, and paraded into town on a donkey. Instead of begging God for a way of escape, he boldly proclaimed, “May God’s will be done.”

When his persecutors set out to see if he belonged to the community of Christians, they dragged Polycarp into the middle of an arena. Accounts say that the crowds roared so loudly no one could be heard. The proconsul tried to persuade Polycarp to recant, saying, “Have respect for your age,” “Swear by the genius of Caesar,” “Repent.” Finally, the magistrate commanded, “Swear the oath, and I will release you; revile Christ!” Still, the old man Polycarp steadfastly replied, “For eighty-six years I have been His servant, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

For generations Polycarp’s faith and fearlessness before death served as a model for all believers. As our uncommon community continues to follow this crucified King, Polycarp represents what it truly costs to pick up our crosses and follow Christ.

Praise be to God who calls a people to Himself and sustains them to follow the example of His Son.

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UNUSUAL POWER

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WEAKNESS: THE WAY TO LIFEREAD: Acts 3:1-26Look at Acts 3. It’s not what Peter does that matters. Sure, it’s amazing. But it’s what Peter says that undoes us all.

After healing a man crippled from birth at the temple, Peter becomes an instant celebrity. People flock to this Galilean with the power to heal. What’s his secret? How does he do it?

But notice what Peter says in his 15 minutes of fame: “Why do you wonder at this...as though by our own power and piety we have made him walk?...[Jesus’] name has made this man strong whom you see and know.”

We love what Peter did. But we need to hear what he says.

The restoration we seek, both for ourselves and our broken world, is not found in popularity or religious performance. It isn’t found in eloquent words or human power. Peter has absolutely nothing to offer this man or this crowd by way of worldly goods or wisdom. He comes in absolute weakness, speaks the Name above every name, and a life without hope is made whole.

Peter’s weakness, and our weakness, is not the problem. That hole we try to fill in ourselves—that hole that knows we are not enough, that we can’t do it, that even our best efforts fall short—is not lying to us. If Peter is right, that hole is the conduit of God’s power. It is not the obstacle to life. It is the way to it. Jesus’ followers find unusual power when they embrace their absolute weakness.

Andrew JonesCampus Pastor – Leawood Campus

And when Peter saw it he addressed the people:

“Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or

why do you stare at us, as though by our own

power or piety we have made him walk?”

ACTS 3:12

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The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.PSALM 90:10

GOD IS INFINITE. WE ARE FINITE.READ: Psalm 90This Psalm of Moses reflects the words of someone who has seen and lived a longer life. It reminds us that we are connected to the generations before us and to the God who was before all generations.

As a young “senior citizen,” my 68 years of life have caused me to think more and more about my connection to the generations. I’ve pondered with increasing frequency the ties that bind me to those who’ve lived before me and to those who are coming behind me.

Then, there’s verse 10: “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” (NIV) That really hits close to home. My days are numbered.

If the psalm ended there, it could be disheartening. But verse 12 challenges us to face that reality and not lose heart: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (NIV) I love that God, through Moses, encourages us to learn in spite of our age, and to gain a heart of wisdom. Yes, God is infinite and this psalm reminds us that we are not. Yet, I can’t help but feel wanted and loved by God, sustained in this life to continue on with the work that He is calling me to do.

May you feel that love. May you gain a heart of wisdom. And may the favor of the Lord rest upon you as you journey on.

Warren TraynorPastor of Family and Care Ministries – Leawood Campus

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“Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be

the father of a multitude of nations. No longer

shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I

have made you the father of a multitude of nations.”

GENESIS 17:4-5

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GOD’S PLANS GO BEYOND USREAD: Genesis 17Do you remember when you were told to share something, but didn’t want to? Most likely, it was when you were a kid, after you’d been given some special treat. It seems like we were never told to share gross things like broken toys, socks, or broccoli. Most of the time we were told to share those things that were truly special.

God gave Abraham incredible blessing. But that blessing was never meant to be hoarded or kept private. Abraham was blessed as the father of nations, so that all peoples would be blessed. God wanted the favor and goodness that He gave to Abraham to overflow with abundance to all nations as a demonstration of His outpouring character.

God’s generosity did not start and stop with Abraham. God’s plan went beyond Abraham and was demonstrated when He gave up His Son, so that all people would be blessed.

In the same way, God’s plan goes beyond us. We get to play a role in being blessed, so that we may bless those around us. May the Holy Spirit give you “eyes to see” all the ways He has blessed you. Then, may you see how you can be a blessing to those whom God has placed around you.

Jonathan Van MaanenPastor of Student Ministries – Olathe Campus

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What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?PSALM 8:4

TRUST IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GODREAD: Psalm 8For years, I would do anything to hide or erase my weaknesses. Culture teaches us to be self-reliant. We are conditioned to conceal our weaknesses rather than share them openly.

Yet, as Christians, we know we have a constant need to depend upon God. Whether it’s in our temptations, physical limitations, fears, difficult circumstances, or broken parts of our personality, God considers us. He sees us. He helps us.

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Within our times of weakness, we must be willing to let go of being in charge, and let God take over. By faith, we must allow Him to gift us with His grace for whatever situation we may be facing. His grace is sufficient.

We were created according to God’s plan, in love and with purpose…weaknesses and all. We tend to view our weaknesses as liabilities, however, our worth is not measured according to our weaknesses. God calls us valuable despite our limitations.

Instead of concealing our weaknesses, we must strive to be honest about them, knowing they do not diminish our worth. In fact, most often, our weaknesses become the areas through which God does His greatest work. Instead of trying to hide them, let’s acknowledge and rely on Christ’s all-sufficient grace and strength. My prayer for all of us is that God might use our weaknesses and challenges to refine us, so that we depend on the Holy Spirit and grow in greater communion with God. As the Psalmist writes, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)

Anna Lynn RolfPastor of Children’s Ministries – Brookside Campus

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THE SYMPATHIZING SAVIORREAD: Hebrews 4:14-16Growing up in America, so many of us internalize the idea that weakness is a sign of weakness.

In our culture, we believe one’s personal brand must communicate confidence and strength. We need to appear like we have it all together. But that is a problem for the Christian because the gospel debunks such messaging. In God’s economy, human weakness is exalted because God works most powerfully through our weaknesses.

Jesus, our Strong King and Great High Priest, became weak by sharing our human nature (Philippians 2:5-11). In His weakness, He identified with us. In His weakness, God condescends to us. In His weakness, Jesus sympathizes with our feelings, our pain, and our betrayals.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us, “that we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” I am glad we have a Savior who can say with integrity, “I know what living in a broken world actually feels like. I have been there. I’ve experienced it!”

God is the only strong one. We, by contrast, are so incredibly weak. We are weak ones living in a broken world who need our strong God’s abundant supply of mercy and grace. And guess what? God invites us weak ones to draw near to Him—with confidence—to receive this mercy and grace to help in our times of need. Run to Him today to receive this amazing grace and marvelous mercy!

Luke BoboDirector of Resource and Curriculum Development – Made To Flourish

MARCH 1

For we do not have a high priest who is unable

to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been

tempted as we are, yet without sin.

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...he said to me, “...my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9A

POWER IN WEAKNESSREAD: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10As I’ve pastored, I’ve become aware of many people with chronic pain—daily pain that is, in some cases, so debilitating that it can keep a person from working, speaking, laughing, or smiling. This kind of chronic pain permeates my family and neighbors as well. Even I have a recurring back injury from my days working as an EMT that can flare up from time to time. When that happens, pain overtakes my thoughts. It’s all I can think about. Serving others doesn’t even seem like an option when I’m in this place.

We all deal with some sort or pain, whether it’s physical, mental, or social. And in the midst of that pain, what does God say to us? He says, “My power is made perfect in weakness.”

God tells you and me that He is best able to work through us when we’re weak. It seems crazy, doesn’t it? But it’s true. When we’re at the point of giving up, when the pain feels overwhelming, we are actually in a place of prime opportunity for God to use us.

Cry out to Him! Don’t run away! Even when our pain endures, He’s still right there. Look up to Him as if you were a toddler who needs your daddy to hold you. Ask Him to hold you. This is the type of dependence God wants you to have on Him.

Today, practice that dependence by reading 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Then, sit in silence. After a couple minutes, ask God to let Christ take over your thoughts and feelings and places of pain. Ask Him to lead as you prepare for your day. Ask for His grace to be enough, to be all you need.

John Brewer Pastor of Corporate Worship – Brookside Campus

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MARCH 3

AHN EI SOOKWEEK 3: Suffering ServantIn 1876, Japan began the process of integrating the people of Korea into their expanding imperial empire. By the 1930s, Japanese leaders attempted to consolidate control over their conquered territories by requiring all imperial citizens to participate in state-sponsored Shinto worship practices. As a result, all Korean citizens were required to bow before Shinto shrines on the first day of every month.

Ahn Ei Sook was a Korean woman who lived in this tumultuous period and worked as a music teacher in a Christian school. After refusing to participate in Shinto worship practices, she was imprisoned and tortured for six years. During that time she endured physical abuse, was given meager food, and lived in filthy conditions.

Looking back on her imprisonment, Ahn Ei Sook said, “I cannot explain how such a weak woman as I was given such wonderful blessings during times of fear and suffering.” Ahn Ei Sook knew what it meant to be sustained by God’s power in the the midst of her weakness.

When she was released on August 17, 1945, she was one of just 14 Christians who had survived the torture at her prison. On the day of her release, a prison guard is said to have shouted: “Ladies and gentlemen! These are the ones who for six long years refused to worship Japanese gods. They fought against severe torture, hunger and cold, and have won without bowing their heads to the idol worship of Japan. Today they are champions of the faith!”

Praise be to God who works through our weakness, manifesting His unusual power in and through ordinary people.

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3

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UNSHAKABLEFAITH

WEEK 4ACTS 4:1-31

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MARCH 4

PRAYER IS FOR THE WEAKREAD: Acts 4:1-31If there is one practice that defines the Christian above all else, it’s prayer.

Prayer is where we admit we need more than a compelling mission, more than a message to proclaim, more than a community of support. Prayer is where we admit we need God here with us in everything.

We don’t come in prayer, laying out our resume before God or encouraging our hearts with self-inflated talk of our hidden potential. Prayer is a place where the weak admit they are weak and ask the Sovereign God with all His strength to carry them further than they thought possible.

If Peter and John—apostles who saw Christ crucified, touched and talked with the resurrected Jesus, were commissioned personally by the resurrected Jesus, and experienced the Spirit descend upon them—couldn’t live out their calling boldly on their own, how could we expect to be any different?

And yet, we do. We pretend as if our calling is something we can accomplish on our own. Where in your life do you feel like God doesn’t need to show up to get you through? Where does prayer seem unnecessary in your life?

Wherever you think you can make an impact without God’s intervention, your expectations are too low and your impact is too shortsighted.

Prayer is where the weak find God, and where God makes the weak courageous enough to live like He exists. Prayer is where we become bold enough to believe that God will show up and shake things up.

Why would you want to start anywhere other than with prayer?

Gabe CoyleCampus Pastor – Downtown Campus

And when they had prayed, the place

in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy

Spirit and continued to speak the word of God

with boldness.ACTS 4:31

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MARCH 5

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. PSALM 145:1-2 (NIV)

PRAYER FOR GOD’S HOLINESSREAD: Psalm 145

Today, Lord, I will flee from temptation.

Today, Lord, I will lean into your power.

Today, Lord, I will be nudged by your wisdom and truth.

Today, Lord, I will be the person you created me to be.

Today, Lord, I will be all in.

If we’re all honest with ourselves and honest with our Creator, many times our own thoughts towards God are fleeting and shallow. We say we will do this and do that so that God would be glorified with our words and actions, but then something trips us up or an obstacle gets in our way. Then, we give up; throw our hands in the air and say: “Nope, can’t be done.”

In our attempts to glorify God with our lives, we regularly choose something that actually creates distance between ourselves and God.

In Psalm 145, David declares, “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.” David isn’t just crying out to God; he’s articulating his desire for a deep oneness with God.

This is a bold assertion. To really know God. And to be known by Him. And to glorify God with everything he’s got. Today. Tomorrow. The next day. And yes, the next. That’s incredible!

Did David glorify God every single moment of his earthly existence? We know he didn’t. But did he have an insatiable thirst and hunger to bring glory and honor to the Lord? Absolutely.

May we be like David and live our lives with insatiable bold faith that seeks to bring God all praise, glory, and honor with our words and actions. Every. Day. Forever. And. Ever.

Jason HeppnerPastor of High School Ministries – Leawood Campus

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4

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MARCH 6

PRAISING GOD THROUGH THE PAINREAD: 1 Samuel 2Hannah was a woman who knew pain. Mocked and humiliated in her home, she lived every day of her married life with the persistent ache of infertility. And then—finally—a baby boy! One that she had carefully nursed and protected, while knowing he would be handed over to the temple for a life of service.

And so, the day came. Hannah took her most precious gift from God, the one she had waited for, and laid him gently in the arms of the priest. With her next breath, lifting arms that had only moments before held the weight of her child, she spoke words of… praise?

“My heart rejoices in the LORD! The LORD has made me strong.”

Maybe you haven’t known the pain of infertility but have experienced another prolonged hurt. A child who walked away from faith. A job where you are mistreated. Life not looking the way you thought it would. When you wake each day with quiet suffering, it can be difficult to pray at all, much less find words of praise.

And yet, the God we serve knows suffering. Suffering is at the core of our Christian story. Like Hannah, we have the choice to lift our aching arms into the air. To whisper, “Your will, not mine.” To use our next breath to praise the name of our God.

No matter our circumstances, no matter how difficult or confusing the journey is, praise Him. Because it’s through praising Him that we are reminded of what He has done and will do in our lives.

Ann TaylorDirector of Elementary Ministries – Leawood Campus

And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the LORD; my horn

is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my

enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.”

1 SAMUEL 2:1

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I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus. 1 CORINTHIANS 1:4

PRAISE FOR PROVISIONREAD: 1 Corinthians 1:4-9Do you ever feel unqualified to do the work God has called you to do? Do you wish that God would equip you better or give you more help? Perhaps this is how the Corinthian believers felt. We know they were anything but a perfect church. They were full of mistakes, failures, and what could have been perceived as a lack of God’s provision for them.

Yet, the Apostle Paul opens his letter to the Corinthians with thanksgiving and praise to God. Why would Paul praise God for a group of people who failed continually? These verses from Paul speak to the ways God provided richly for the Corinthian believers so that they “would not be lacking in a any spiritual gift.” God provided for them in a variety of ways so that they might have the power to do the work He called them to do and to endure with faith. Because of God’s grace, they would be “sustained to the end.”

Just as God provided for and sustained the Corinthian believers, God provides for and sustains us. And like Paul, we too can thank and praise God for the ways He calls us, equips us, and sustains us.

Take time now to reflect on these questions: What is the work God has called you to do? What gifts has He given to sustain you? Spend time now thanking and praising Him for His provision.

Jonathan NeefAssociate Pastor – Olathe Campus

MARCH 7W

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MARCH 8

...that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be

strengthened with power through his Spirit in your

inner being. EPHESIANS 3:16

A PRAYER FOR STRENGTHREAD: Ephesians 3:14-21Have you ever dreamed that one day there might be a way to get in shape without burning any calories? Don’t you wish strength could be granted to us while we are sitting on the couch? Well, at the risk of losing you with a statement that sounds “too good to be true,” I’m firmly convinced it can.

We can receive God’s strength as a free gift. In Ephesians 3, Paul is clear that strength is available as a gift from God. With the hope that we can be strengthened in our inner being, Paul contrasts this effortless work of inward renewal with the battle we feel every day—the outward wasting away of our bodies. He makes it clear that we need nothing to build strength on the inside. It is a gift granted to us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us not confuse outward strength with inward strength. We can look like we have it all together on the outside and be wasting away on the inside. And we can appear weak and diminished outwardly, even as God is at work strengthening us from within.

Today, may we actively seek the gift of inward renewal. In our weakness, He is made strong. And our inward strength is only, always a gift from Him.

Kevin HarlanVice President of Philanthropy – Made To Flourish

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FEBRUARY ##MARCH 9

“Pray then like this:‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…’” MATTHEW 6:9

THE LORD’S PRAYERREAD: Matthew 6:9-13There is, of course, much more to prayer than the Lord’s Prayer. It is a prayer that teaches us to pray. It is a foundation of the praying life: its introduction and its continuing basis. It is an enduring framework for all praying. You only move beyond it provided you stay within it. It is the necessary bass in the great symphony of prayer. It is a powerful lens through which one constantly sees the world as God Himself sees it.

The English wording long familiar from the King James Version is a treasure now interwoven with Western consciousness. It may be of some use in practice, however, to reword the prayer to capture better the fullness of its meanings and its place in the gospel of the kingdom:

Dear Father always near us, may your name be treasured and loved, may your rule be completed in us—may your will be done here on earth in just the way it is done in heaven.

Give us today the things we need today, and forgive us our sins and impositions on you as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.

Please don’t put us through trials, but deliver us from everything bad.

Because you are the one in charge, and you have all the power, and the glory too is all yours—forever—which is just the way we want it!

Dallas WillardQuoted from The Divine Conspiracy Willard, Dallas, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God (New York, NY: HarperOne, 1998), 269.

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MARCH 10

IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCHWEEK 4: Martyr StoryOne of the most important churches in the second century was the church in Antioch. It was the first Gentile church, and the place where followers of Jesus were first called “Christians.” One of its early leaders was a man called Ignatius.

During a period of persecution, Ignatius was arrested and escorted to Rome for trial by a contingent of ten soldiers. While they made their way to the capital, Ignatius stopped to speak with leaders in other churches. He took time to encourage them and pray with them. He also wrote ahead to the church in Rome, informing them that they should expect his arrival, and asking for them to pray for his endurance as he expected to lose his life. He wrote:

“Just pray that I will have strength both outwardly and inwardly, so that I may not just talk about it but want to do it, so that I may not merely be called a Christian but actually prove to be one. For if I prove to be one, I can also be called one, and then I will be faithful when I am no longer visible to the world.”

The exact details of Ignatius’ death have been lost to history, but generations of Christians have found encouragement in his desire to follow the pattern of Christ. He knew where he was headed and what would meet him in Rome. He also knew that he was weak. So, he concluded, the only way to follow the path of Christ was with the support of prayer from the church.

Ignatius depended on prayer for strength, not on himself.

Praise be to God who hears our cry and draws near with a strength to endure.

WEEK

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UNTHINKABLE GENEROSITY

ACTS 4:32-5:11WEEK 5

40

Now the full number of those who believed were

of one heart and soul, and no one said that

any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had

everything in common. And with great power

the apostles were giving their testimony to the

resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace

was upon them all.ACTS 4:32-33

THE WITNESS OF GENEROSITY READ: Acts 4:32-5:11One of the most prominent themes throughout the book of Acts is the theme of bearing witness or giving testimony. Again and again, we see followers of Jesus witnessing to the reality of the resurrection of Jesus and what it means for the world.

When that testimony is believed, we see that a new liberality of generosity results. In the Greco-Roman context in which the early church existed, there was certainly some sense of sharing among friends, but it was marked by an expectation of reciprocity. By contrast, the early local church is depicted as practicing a familial kind of generosity that expected nothing in return.

This new sort of generosity among people who were not biological family was a powerful witness to the reality of the new family that God was creating. In our own cultural context, marked by a skepticism that might be best summarized by the phrase “there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” do we practice a liberality of local church generosity? Or do we stockpile and hoard? What reality do your finances and generosity (or lack thereof) bear witness to?

Bill GormanCampus Pastor – Brookside Campus

MARCH 11

40

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“If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”LEVITICUS 25:35

OUR GENEROUS GOD READ: Leviticus 25:35-38From the beginning, God has called His people to live generous lives.

After He rescued them from Egypt, God gathered His people at the base of Mt. Sinai to teach them what it meant for them to be His chosen people. He instructed them on how to reflect His holiness and His nature to the nations. Tucked in among the instructions for cleanliness and uncleanliness, systems of sacrifices and feasts, we find this passage. We find this clear call to generosity.

The Israelites were instructed to care for one another by supporting the poor among them with no expectation of profit or repayment. I love the way God reminds Israel in verse 38 how He cared for them in His miraculous deliverance from Egypt, and insists that He will continue to care for them by providing a land for them and by being their God. God makes clear that His people need not fear scarcity or hold their resources with clenched fists. They can instead be generous because God Himself is generous.

Oh, how I need this reminder in my own life. Am I holding tightly to what God has given me? Or am I choosing to reflect the image of my beautiful and generous God and trust in His provision?

Nikki DiekerMinistry Assistant – Olathe Campus

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MARCH 12W

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WHERE IS YOUR HEART?READ: 1 Timothy 6:17-19When we think of generosity, the first thing to come to mind is usually money. Yet, I am continually amazed at the number of Christ Community members who are remarkably generous with a lot more than their finances. I think of those who are willing to lend a hand to another in need; who are willing to serve our children and youth week in and week out; who are engaged at every level of work with our outreach partners and with other organizations throughout our city. From kids’ clubs to orphan care to community development and so much more—a generous heart is a heart which gives of time, talent, and treasure without a need for recognition or repayment.

In Matthew 6, we hear Jesus proclaim we should “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Here in 1 Timothy, we see this kind of generosity lays a “good foundation for the future.” A question to consider in your generosity is “what is your motive?” Do you give with an ulterior motive or ultimate motive? When you give of yourself, are you seeking something in return? Are you giving because you secretly want some recognition or because you feel like you must? Or, do you give because you ultimately want to see God glorified and a piece of His world restored?

Today, let us consider our motive in giving, and then seek to live a generous life which pays eternal dividends.

Alan MercerExecutive Pastor – Leawood Campus

As for the rich in this present age, charge

them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of

riches, but on God, who richly provides us with

everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to

be rich in good works, to be generous and ready

to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves

as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19

MARCH 13

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FEBRUARY ##MARCH 14

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”MATTHEW 6:21

A HEART OF GENEROSITY READ: Matthew 6:21The life of discipleship can only be maintained so long as nothing is allowed to come between Christ and ourselves—neither the law, nor personal piety, nor even the world. The disciple always looks only to his master, never to Christ and the law, Christ and religion, Christ and the world. He avoids such notions like the plague….

Worldly possessions tend to turn the hearts of the disciples away from Jesus. What are we really devoted to? That is the question. Are our hearts set on earthly goods? Do we try to combine devotion to them with loyalty to Christ? Or are we devoted exclusively to him?...

Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. In the wilderness God gave Israel the manna every day, and they had no need to worry about food and drink. Indeed, if they kept any of the manna over until the next day, it went bad. In the same way, the disciple must receive his portion from God every day. If he stores it up as a permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift, but himself as well, for he sets his heart on his accumulated wealth, and makes it a barrier between himself and God. Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God.

Dietrich BonhoefferQuoted from The Cost of Discipleship Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, The Cost of Discipleship (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1995), 174.

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“And whoever gives one of these little ones

even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no

means lose his reward.”MATTHEW 10:42

GENEROUS HOSPITALITYREAD: Matthew 10:40-42We like to be rewarded for our work. Whether it’s a gold star or a pay raise, a job promotion or standing ovation, we all love a pat on the back for a job well done. We love rewards.

The job given by Jesus to His disciples in Matthew 10 is no walk in the park. Jesus sends them on a mission without any means of support—no money, no bag, no change of clothes. They are completely dependent on God and the hospitality of others. Persecution is promised. And familial opposition is to be expected. Yikes.

But Jesus ends His missionary message on a high note. He promises a great reward to those who carry His message, and to those who care for them along the way. Life following Jesus is a dangerous, vulnerable task, but it doesn’t come without reward.

And what does it take to earn the kind of reward that Jesus describes? A cup of cold water.

Simple hospitality. Ordinary generosity. The warm welcoming of anyone carrying Jesus’ message—that is enough to secure a reward. The person whose life is characterized by this kind of generosity, Jesus says, “will by no means lose their reward.” If you receive one of these, you receive Jesus.

And what exactly is this reward? It’s robust. Participation in the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:10). Rest for the weary (Matthew 11:28-30). The very presence and power of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus’ reward is generous.

May we receive the reward that Jesus offers by warmly receiving Him in generous hospitality.

Andrew Campbell Associate Pastor – Shawnee Mission Campus

MARCH 15

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“In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (CSB)ACTS 20:35

MARCH 16

GENEROSITY TAKES TRAININGREAD: Acts 20:32-35I recently read the book Endurance, the heroic true story of Ernest Shackleton, a polar explorer who in 1914 fearlessly led 28 men to attempt the crossing of the Antarctic from sea to sea, via the pole. After tragedy struck their ship, their mission quickly changed from crossing the Antarctic to simply surviving.

As I read this riveting story, the desire to be one who selflessly and courageously leads others was palpable. I couldn’t help but wonder: How would I fair in a situation like that? Would I look to the needs of others and lead, or frantically and selfishly fight for my own needs?

While only God knows the answer to that question, there are indicators pointing to an answer. By simply asking, “how am I attempting to live selflessly and courageously now?,” I get a window into the probable (and disappointing) answer.

In The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard wrote, “To perform appropriately in the moment when you’re ‘on the spot’ you must be preparing when you’re ‘off the spot.’” Shackleton couldn’t have miraculously developed the kind of character needed to survive the Antarctic under the intense circumstances he encountered. His character was developed in millions of little “off the spot” moments.

What does all of this have to do with Jesus’ claim that it’s better to give than to receive? Just as I desire to be courageous and selfless, I long to be generous. And this is what I see in this short passage. Paul (like Shackleton) has risen to the “on the spot” challenge of selflessly leading the Ephesian church to the bitter end through “off the spot” training. Paul loved, served, and gave to them. Why? Because he believed Jesus’ claim and he lived it “off the spot.”

Do I really believe Jesus’ claim? Am I practicing it “off the spot”? Are you?

Patrick LargenExecutive Pastor – Olathe Campus

MARCH 16W

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MARCH 17

ANNALENA TONELLIWEEK 5: Martyr StoryAnnalena Tonelli was a woman of remarkable generosity. Born in Italy in 1943, she moved to Kenya at age 25 to carry on humanitarian work as part of the Committee Against World Hunger. After serving faithfully in Kenya for over a decade, she relocated to Borama, Somalia, where she launched a hospital to combat tuberculosis. Of course, the hospital was expensive to maintain, so Annalena sought funding from friends and family in Italy.

Tonelli’s hospital was located in an area that was economically disadvantaged. In order to eliminate barriers between herself and those she felt called to serve, she embraced a lifestyle of simplicity—eating the same food as her patients and living in similar housing—so that her relative wealth might not suggest distance between her and the Somalis, and so that all her resources might be devoted to her mission.

In the aftermath of the AIDS crisis, Tonelli decided to bring HIV positive patients to her hospital in Borama because she believed they were children of God who deserved to be treated with dignity and respect. But this generosity garnered massive backlash. In November 2002, protesters surrounded Tonelli’s hospital, chanting “Death to Annalena” and throwing stones at the facility. Less than one year later, Annalena was shot in the head while working in the hospital she founded.

Annalena’s story shows that even unthinkable generosity can result in violent opposition.

Praise be to God whose Spirit gives us willpower to demonstrate unthinkable generosity, for His glory and for the good of our neighbor.

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UNAVOIDABLE SUFFERING

ACTS 5:12-42WEEK 6

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50

UNAVOIDABLE SUFFERINGREAD: Acts 5:12-42Perhaps no word has been cited more frequently to dissolve the reality of God’s existence than the word suffering. From domestic abuse to the decimation of entire people groups, suffering always feels like an “out of the box” reality for the human experience. But why? Why is suffering simultaneously so ubiquitous and yet so outlandish? Why do we feel such a deep and visceral sense that it ought not to be?

Suffering is not just a reality we experience and endure. It is a foreign visitor whose presence must be explained. The sociologist Peter Berger asserts that every culture desires and attempts to “bestow meaning on the experience of suffering.”

So then, what account can be given for the presence of suffering in our world? And more importantly, what can be done about it?

In many ways, the answer is rooted in the season of Lent itself. For in this season, we are brought face to face with the One whose suffering far exceeded our own. Indeed, the suffering of Christ was the totality of all our suffering. And the profound irony is that through the sufferings of Christ in his life and death, our suffering is being—and one day will be—overcome and undone.

The gospel of the Suffering Servant by no means discredits or diminishes our real suffering. But it does show us that there is hope in knowing that through the sufferings of Jesus on our behalf, we can trust that we suffer not in vain.

Reid Kapple Campus Pastor – Olathe Campus

MARCH 18

And when they had called in the apostles,

they beat them and charged them not to

speak in the name of Jesus, and let them

go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were

counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the

name. And every day, in the temple and from

house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the

Christ is Jesus.ACTS 5:40-42

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Consider my affliction and my trouble...PSALM 25:18A

THE LANGUAGE OF SUFFERINGREAD: Psalm 25:16-20In the movie, Good Will Hunting, viewers discover that Will is a man who has encountered life’s worst. When he is older, Will meets Sean, his therapist. Towards the end of the movie after much hesitation, fighting, and reluctance, Will finally experiences a breakthrough moment. He starts weeping in Sean’s arms while Sean repeatedly says, “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.”

I don’t know about you, but that scene always makes me cry. Why? Because if we are really honest with ourselves, we all know what it’s like to experience suffering. It’s part of the human experience. The Bible testifies to this reality by having one-third of the psalms be laments. In Psalm 25, David feels lonely, afflicted, distressed, troubled, and anguished. His lament is a cry for God’s attention, grace, and rescue. Like David, we don’t have to numb our pain or pretend it isn’t there.

Suffering is unavoidable, yet we are given the freedom to cry out to God in lament. When the trials and heartaches come, may we boldly approach God’s throne with our laments, praying with David, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.”

Naya CuevasAssociate Pastor – Shawnee Mission Campus

MARCH 19W

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MARCH 20

JOY IN THE MOURNING READ: Psalm 126Have you ever wondered how Moses felt as he faithfully served the Lord in Egypt without seeing the outcome he desired? God kept promising deliverance, yet all Moses saw was defiance and disobedience from Pharaoh. I imagine Moses repeatedly going back to God and saying, “this is not working,” with frustration and tears.

Yet, Moses continued to faithfully sow where God had sent him. Just because Moses continued serving the Lord does not mean it was easy. To the contrary, I’m sure it was quite painful.

Nevertheless, I believe our Father in Heaven sees beauty when His children cry out to Him. It might seem to us like such moments betray our weakness. But aren’t we supposed to remember who we are and how much we need God? It is through tears that we open our tightly gripped hands in surrender.

God calls us to faithful labor even when it seems dark and hopeless. In crying out to our Savior, we open ourselves up to the opportunity to be reminded His name is Mighty and that we are weak. There is freedom in recognizing we are not here to solve every problem. All we need to do is to faithfully serve where we have been sent.

Ultimately, God did use Moses to free His people from Egypt, and what a celebration there must have been that day!

Brothers, sisters, may we join together in crying out for God to restore our fortunes, just as He has done and will continue to do for His people, from the beginning until His return.

Britli FullerEarly Childhood Coordinator – Leawood Campus

Those who sow in tears shall reap with

shouts of joy!PSALM 126:5

53

MARCH 21

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.ROMANS 5:3-5

SUFFERING PRODUCES CHARACTERREAD: Romans 5:3-5Ravi Zacharias tells the story the story of Hien Pham. Hein was a Vietnamese man who worked with the Americans as a translator during the Vietnam War. At some point, the Vietnamese captured, imprisoned, and tried to break him. His faith began to falter and he thought, “Maybe I was wrong, maybe God doesn’t exist.”

The next day he was assigned the dreaded job of cleaning the latrines. While doing this filthy work, he found a piece of paper amongst the toilet paper with English words on it. It was a page of the Bible, Romans 8 specifically. Hein read, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him...for I am convinced that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That night he went back to his bunk, thanked God for this sign, and requested latrine duty everyday.

Hien requested this duty because he had been shown that suffering produces something much greater than pain. His suffering led him to an opportunity to trust. This trust gave him an opportunity to see beyond his suffering to the hope that he could have in his resurrected Savior. We can rejoice in our suffering because we too can be assured that we believe in a hope that is not dead and rotting in a tomb, but we believe in a hope that is victorious, resurrected, alive, and will one day return!

Kris FernhoutDirector – Kansas City Fellows

MARCH 21W

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“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will

rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges

my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him

and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

PSALM 91:14-16 (NIV)

JUST AS GOD WAS THERE FOR US READ: Psalm 91The tree is turned and twisted. Its roots grip the ground like it’s clawing the earth. If one little finger lets go, it will topple the tree, making it ready for the insects to gnaw away. Up its trunk are wild, intertwined vines of time, each one crafted with its own story. The tree leans backward distressed by the storms it’s endured. The winds came and the storms raged around the tree, pushing it further and further down on its side.

The tree threw down its roots, reaching and pulling as it dug in. It looked unnaturally like those balloon guys at carnivals, who wave their arms wildly in the air, leaning almost to the ground and then popping back up with their wobbling smiles, beckoning you to come closer.

But the tree does not pop up. It endures. It waits for the wind to die down or to begin blowing in a different direction. The tree longs to sit upright, to grow leaves and fruit, and not to have to work so hard to just stay in one spot. It yearns for water and care and love. It yearns for the Gardener. The Gardener comes with shears. He tenderly strokes the tree’s gnarled bark and twisted back. He cleans off the dark and dead bark and lays the tree bare. Then He starts to unwind the twisted vines one by one. The pungent ooze of despair weeps from the tree. The Gardener sits day and night with the tree, sometimes pruning, sometimes protecting, but always with compassion and love. Wishing the tree could feel, wishing the tree would stop holding on and just be held.

Laura TateDirector of Children’s Ministries – Shawnee Mission Campus

MARCH 22MARCH 22

FEBRUARY ##

55

KEEPING SUFFERING IN PERSPECTIVEREAD: Romans 8:18-39Recently, our family has experienced deep grief. As we were mourning my father’s death, I remarked to my wife Kathy, “I miss Dad, but I am so excited about our new granddaughter coming soon.” As we waited at the hospital, our expectation became worry as we saw the doctors and nurses rushing to the NICU where little Nora Jo was struggling. Within an hour, we were told that due to complications in delivery, Nora would not live long. We dedicated her to the Lord, and wept together as she went to be with Jesus after seven hours of life. Anguished cries of “Why?” burst from our hearts as we held our kids

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.ROMANS 8:18

MARCH 23

and each other.

Today’s passage declares that even though we enjoy the life of the Spirit (Romans 8:1-17), we still live in a fallen world. Paul calls our current anguish a minor irritation in comparison to the glory awaiting us (v. 18). While we wait with all creation for our final salvation, we experience the presence of the Spirit, who takes our longings and transforms them into intercession (vv. 19-27).

In a crescendo of passionate worship, Paul reveals the source of our peace: God is actively working out His eternal plan in all believers (vv. 28-30). This positional security, joined with the presence and power of the Spirit, enables believers to vanquish all accusations of the enemy (vv. 31-34). No created force or power in all the universe can separate us from the love of God in Christ (vv. 35-39).

This hope in Christ gives perspective. Some of our days have high tides of grief. But left in the wake of these tides are beautiful shells and stones, colorful signs of grace. Let’s offer every sigh as a prayer and allow every unanswered question to build faith and hope in us.

Charlie SelfDirector of City Development – Made to Flourish

WEEK

6

56

57

THE APOSTLE PETERWEEK 6: Martyr StoryThere are few biblical characters more genuine than Peter. Peter spoke his mind. He fumbled over his words. He was tested, and he failed! Peter was rebuked, and many times he found himself baffled by Jesus’ teaching. Nevertheless, God was able to do a beautiful work through Peter. Peter proved to be loyal, bold, loving, and jubilant. He also endured unavoidable suffering.

In a letter Peter wrote to the early church, he said:

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6–7)

Peter knew what it meant to endure trials. He was jailed, beaten, and ordered never to proclaim the truth of the gospel. But the mission God gave him would not be deterred. Whether the loss of his business, the weariness from always being on the road, or the strain of leading a financially bankrupt church in Jerusalem, Peter endured.

And in the end, Peter gave his very life. Tradition asserts that Peter ministered to many in Rome. However, during the time of Nero’s reign, Peter was captured and accused of being “godless.” The judgment proclaimed on him was crucifixion. The one request Peter had was to be crucified upside down since he didn’t consider himself worthy to suffer a death on the cross upright. That honor was reserved only for his Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.

Praise be to God for the strength and joy to endure unavoidable suffering so that in our weakness the power of God might create something beautiful.

MARCH 24W

EEK 6

58

59

UNIMAGINABLE GLORY

ACTS 6:8-8:4WEEK 7

60

THE BEAUTY OF WEAKNESSREAD: Acts 6:8-8:4I want to see what Stephen saw...but I’ll do just about anything to avoid the path that led him there. Stephen felt pressure from the crowd closing in on him. He watched as their anger turned to rage and they began to pick up stones. As he preached his final sermon, he noticed the size of each rock and each jagged edge. He wondered to himself: How badly will this hurt? How many stones will it take? How much longer do I have? He knew his weakness.

As I read, I think: Run! Fight back! Or at least tone it down a bit. You don’t have to stand out that much, Stephen. Blend in. Keep your head down. Is Jesus really worth this much to you? But what I’m truly wondering is: Would I ever have the strength to be so weak?

Even so, Stephen keeps preaching. He pleads with his people to turn from their sins and find forgiveness in the promised Messiah. And as the death blows pound against his weakened body, he asks Jesus to forgive them. With his last look up, from his position of utter weakness, Stephen sees the glory and beauty of Almighty God, with the resurrected Jesus standing beside Him, welcoming Stephen home.

And I’ve got to ask: Do you think it was worth it to him?

Nathan MillerSenior Pastor – Congregational Development

MARCH 25

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into

heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus

standing at the right hand of God. And he

said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man

standing at the right hand of God.”ACTS 7:55-56

60

61

MARCH 26

Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons.PSALM 69:6-8

GLORY THROUGH SUFFERING READ: Psalm 69If you’ve walked on this earth for more than a little while, suffering is not new to you. Though many of us have suffered greatly, none of us has had to suffer the way Stephen did. Or the way Jesus did. Yet, at the end of their lives, even in the midst of great pain, both prayed for those around them. Our psalmist does the same in Psalm 69:6-8.

Did Stephen know that his final prayer included a man at the edge of the crowd, who quite possibly orchestrated his murder? If Stephen had known this man would have a life-changing encounter with Jesus, and subsequently pen inspired Scripture that changed the world, might it have changed the way Stephen experienced his suffering?

Suffering for the sake of suffering is pointless, but the Bible is rich with passages that tell us there is purpose in suffering:

Jesus knew the purpose of His suffering. “...for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12:2) His suffering impacted all of humanity and made eternal life possible.

We don’t always get the privilege of knowing or understanding the reason for our suffering. But perhaps the way we experience our suffering might change if we always remembered that it brings glory to God.

Jeannie LucasDirector of Communications – Multisite

WEEK

7

“But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1 Peter 4:13-14)

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God

chose what is weak in the world to shame

the strong.1 CORINTHIANS 1:27

62

STRENGTH IN WEAKNESSREAD: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31She is brilliant. He is athletic. She is wealthy. He’s a good thinker. She/he is weak. That last descriptor doesn’t “fit” does it? When you hear someone described as weak, do you want to emulate them? Do you want to hang out with them? Probably not.

Yet, for the last few weeks, this devotional booklet has been discussing weakness as something good; something beautiful. Counter-cultural? Without a doubt!

You may be asking, why should I consider weakness beautiful when the culture around me says weakness is bad? Perhaps we can look at two examples to help better understand the concept of weakness.

The apostle Paul was strong in character. He was a brilliant scholar. He was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5). But he told the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 12:9) that he would boast all the more gladly in his weakness so that the power of Christ would be evident.

Jesus, who was (is) co-equal with God the Father, voluntarily laid aside His divine privilege and became what our culture would call weak. He emptied Himself, took the form of a servant, and humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). The cross of Christ is the ultimate example of power in what our culture would call weakness.

We may be physically strong, have no material needs, possess intellectual prowess, or rub shoulders with the cultural elite—or none of the above. Whatever our present circumstance, we must be very careful to remember that what we possess or don’t possess is because God the Father permits it. How silly, how naïve, how utterly full of hubris it is for us to think ourselves as anything but totally dependent on God’s provision.

When we acknowledge our weakness, and depend on God’s provision, He gets the credit. That’s the beauty of weakness.

Mark AskinsSenior Executive Pastor

MARCH 27

63

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. ISAIAH 40:29

GOD’S PEACE IN WEAKNESSREAD: Isaiah 40:29Where is peace to be found? The answer is surprising but clear. In weakness. Few people are telling us this truth, but there is peace to be found in our own weakness, in those places of our hearts where we feel most broken, most insecure, most in agony, most afraid.

In our weakness, our familiar ways of controlling and manipulating our world are being stripped away and we are forced to let go from doing much, thinking much, and relying on our self-sufficiency. Right there, where we are most vulnerable, the peace that is not of this world is mysteriously hidden.

When we trust that the God of love has already given the peace we are searching for, we will see this peace breaking through the broken soil of our human condition and we will be able to let it grow fast and even heal the economic and political maladies of our time.

Henri Nouwen Quoted from Peacework Nouwen, Henri, Peacework (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2005), 14.

MARCH 28W

EEK 7

64

GLORY OF LORD AND TEACHERREAD: John 13:12-16Jesus, Lord of the Universe, who has shaped the stars in His hands and placed them in the sky, now as Teacher, uses His hands to wash His disciples’ feet.

Imagine the Lord Jesus, kneeling before you. His eyes look up to you, as yours look down on Him. He gestures gently with His hand for your foot. He pours water over your foot, His fingers caressing it gently as He wipes away the dirt. He dries it intently and gently before firmly placing it back on the floor. Before He can pick up your other foot, you respond, “please don’t.”

It’s too much...your Lord in this servant posture...His humble actions...His glory at your feet...your heart is desperate to switch roles...to serve Him instead of being served.

Jesus makes the mission clear and tangible for us all. Our position in God’s Kingdom is not one of entitlement, privilege, or honor. Rather, we are to embrace the role of a servant. “Serve others as I have served You,” Jesus instructed.

Reflect on your day. Are there people you don’t want to be around because you feel “superior”? Are there people God is placing in your path for you to serve?

Dawn HeckertPastor of Children’s Ministries – Leawood Campus

“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have

washed your feet, you also ought to wash one

another’s feet.”JOHN 13:14

MARCH 29

65

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”LUKE 23:36-39

WHAT WOULD YOU DIE FOR?READ: Luke 23:26-56At death, who will be by your side? It’s a haunting thought—to imagine one’s own death. Will you be surrounded by a loving family? Will friends gather near you in your home? Will a spouse or a child hold your hand as you breathe your last? I would hope to be surrounded by those I love most as I transition into the life to come.

This was not the experience of Jesus. In the hours leading to His death, He was surrounded by a group of enemies, whose venomous words filled His ears.

Rulers mocked Him: He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.Soldiers sneered at Him: If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.A criminal insulted Him: Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!

Most of us wouldn’t wish this on our worst enemies. Yet, this was the experience of the Son of Man. A band of mockers surrounded the Suffering Servant in His final hours.

The scene was marked by tragedy. But the insults were full of irony. Each of the three groups chastised Jesus for one and the same thing: He couldn’t save Himself.

But He could have. He could have said the word, and twelve legions of angels would have been at His disposal. Instead, He hung there and took it. All of it. My sin and yours. He refused to save Himself so that He could save all of us.

Matt RustenExecutive Director – Made To Flourish

MARCH 30W

EEK 7

66

HOLYSATURDAY

How is faith to endure, O God, when you allow all this scraping and tearing on us? You have allowed rivers of blood to pile up, sobs to become humanity’s song—all without lifting a finger that we could see. You have allowed bonds of love beyond number to be painfully snapped. If you have not abandoned us, explain yourself.

We strain to hear. But instead of hearing an answer we catch sight of God himself scraped and torn. Through our tears we see the tears of God.

A new and more disturbing question now arises: Why do you permit yourself to suffer, O God? If the death of the devout costs you dear (Psalm 116:15), why do you permit it? Why do you not grasp joy?

Nicholas Wolterstorfffrom Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff

RequiemPart II

Like a bird alone in the desert Or an owl in a ruined houseI lie awake and I groan,Like a sparrow lost on a roof.Ashes are the bread that I eat,I mingle tears with my drink.PSALM 102

From the depths I cry to you, O Lord,Give heed to my lament.PSALM 130

Does the grave declare your great love?Is your truth proclaimed in the tombs?Are your wonders admired in the dark oryour mercy where all is forgotten?PSALM 88

Why do you turn away?Why do you hide your face?I wait for you, my soul waits,And in your word I hope.PSALM 130

Restore me, O God my Savior.PSALM 85

MARCH 31

67

68

ACTS 8:26-40EASTER

UNENDING LIFE

FEBRUARY ##

69

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.ACTS 8:35

AGAINST ALL ODDSREAD: Acts 8:26-40What are the odds? It is a question we all ask at various times as we navigate the many uncertainties of our lives. We may look to mathematical probabilities to determine the statistical likelihood of our favorite sports team winning a championship, or the possibility of a major stock market correction. Yet, Easter Sunday is a day that shatters all odds. We are reminded of this truth through the lens of Philip’s divine encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.

Did it just happen that the eunuch made the long journey from his African homeland to travel to Jerusalem? Did it just happen that on his way home he was reading the Isaiah scroll that spoke of the Messiah’s suffering? Did it just happen that Philip was on the same road at the same place at the same time? Did it just happen that Philip ran up to his chariot and asked him whether or not he understood what he was reading? Did it just happen that he heard the gospel and was baptized? What are the odds of it all? Philip’s life-changing encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch didn’t just happen. Jesus had a divine appointment in mind.

Jesus’ bodily resurrection didn’t just happen either. It was God’s divine appointment to rescue a broken world and redeem broken people. Jesus’ against-all-odds bodily resurrection assures us we are not confined to living within the limits of human odds and mathematical probabilities. Embracing the good news of the gospel of our crucified and risen Lord, we can experience supernatural realities in everyday life where nothing just happens, but rather is divinely appointed. Jesus’ bodily resurrection not only opens our eyes of faith to the grand vistas of eternity, but also allows us to see our everyday, temporal lives through the transforming lens of a God-bathed world.

Tom NelsonLead Senior Pastor

APRIL 1

UNSHAKABLEFAITH

WEEK 4

ABOUT THE WORKLet the bones that you have broken rejoice.The artwork featured in this devotional is taken from a body of work entitled, Let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Through these paintings, I wrestled with questions of personal and corporate pain and suffering. I was particularly inspired by the Japanese practice of Kintsugi and the philosophy of Wabi-sabi. Kintsugi is a practice whereby a broken piece of pottery is repaired using powdered precious metal and adhesive. The cracks on the piece are entirely visible in their newly gilded form, and the piece actually becomes more valuable than before it was broken. Wabi-sabi is an aesthetic philosophy which values the natural, the temporal, and the ephemeral over the permanent and perfect.

I sought to create personal artifacts of brokenness, and the only thing that could make me brave enough to do so was to filter it through my understanding of why pain exists. I have come to realize that, personally, suffering only becomes unbearable to face if I feel that there can be no deeper meaning beyond it.

This brings me to the Passion of Jesus Christ. Christ endured a kind of suffering that is the worst I can imagine: He was alone, He had no consolation, and God was utterly silent. There was no one to defend Him; He could not save Himself without compromising those He loved most. He endured agonizing physical pain. And worse than that, many theologians describe the spiritual agony into which Christ descended as one that felt infinite and unending.

Contemplating suffering is difficult because it is so intimate and universal. However, contemplating Christ’s suffering has given my own suffering a new context and meaning. I have often found myself wanting to escape from, ignore, or even speed up my pain to get back to a remembered “wholeness.” This project has helped me to begin to understand suffering as a process, and to see scarring as a mark of the healing. It is important to note that Christ, the God-man, whose death reworked the very fabric of the cosmos, forever changing the material of the universe, chose to keep his scars after His resurrection.

71

WEEK 4

UNSHAKABLEFAITH

ACTS 4:1-31

ABOUT THE ARTISTKelly KruseKelly Kruse uses her work to explore the painful, beautiful experience of human longing and suffering. She developed a visual devotional practice as a response to her battle with depression, through which she wrestles with beauty, longing, and God. Kruse describes her work as contemporary illumination. Like the medieval monks who perfected the art of illuminated manuscripts, she seeks to awake in the viewer a sense of spiritual contemplation.

Her first exposure to the idea of illumination came when she studied Medieval and Renaissance music in Italy. Her background in classical music and opera puts her in a unique position to explore the intersection between Scripture, poetry, musical works, and the visual arts. In addition to her artistic practice, she works as a music educator in the KC metro area.

Find out more about Kelly an her work by visiting KellyKruseCreative.com.

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Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are from the The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

THE BEAUTY OF WEAKNESS:A WALK TOWARD EASTER

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