Ed Underwood

Easter Isn’t About The Show But The Resurrection and Community

I don’t know what you think about church, but if you’re like a lot of Easter-only people I meet today, you’re not too impressed.

You know you should go to church, but sometimes you wonder why? Sometimes it seems like church just gets in the way of your walk with the Lord Jesus.

There’s a paragraph in First Peter, 1 Peter 2:1-10, that might change your mind about church. It describes the type of church every believer should want to go to.

Not because you have to, but because you want to.

Not because you’re driven by guilt and shame, but because you’re pulled by mercy and grace.

Not out of duty, but desperation—because you know you can’t live without it.co

When I read this amazing description of the church, I find the four marks of a radically healthy New Testament community. “Community” not in the social media definition of the word, but in the genuine sense of the word—depth of relationship and life-changing. To be radically healthy is to transcend the tired definitions churchianity offers and to settle for nothing less than the real thing.

A radically healthy New Testament community is a nourishing community. Since you have new life and are called to a new way of life, stop hurting one another so that you can be nourished by the Word of God and grow up! Why? Because you’ve all tasted the grace of Jesus (1-3).

Interesting isn’t it? Peter connects our capacity to be nourished by the pure milk of the Word to the harmony of our relationships!

A radically healthy New Testament community is a connecting community. “Remember you are not an institution,” says Peter, “you are a living spiritual temple of holy priests the Father is building on the precious and living foundation of His Son, Jesus Christ.” Why? Because you believed in Jesus and you will never be put to shame! (4-6)

Interesting isn’t it? Peter connects the depth of our relationship with Christ to the depth of our relationships with one another!⇦Tweet that!

A radically healthy New Testament community is a distinctive community. Peter continues, “Remember that your trust in Christ sets you apart from everyone else—you build your life on the very Person the rest of humanity stumbles over” (7-8, Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 8:14).

Interesting isn’t it? Peter connects our impact for Christ in the world to our clear understanding that this world is not our home!

A radically healthy New Testament community is an awesome community. Read your “press release” from heaven: You are a special community—a chosen generation of royal priests, a holy nation, a special people. You have a special calling—to proclaim your praise of the One who called you out of darkness. Why? Because you have obtained mercy! (9-10)

Interesting isn’t it? Peter uses some of the most exciting language in the New Testament to describe the church!

Who wouldn’t want to go to that type of church, the church Peter talks about in his letter?⇦Tweet that!

I wonder if we spent less time asking ourselves how to grow churches and more time asking God what church should look like more people would be excited about the churches we already have and more vested in the community God calls us to be a part of.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).

Question: Why do you feel we don’t experience more community in our churches?

Discipleship Minute: His Garden, My Garden

Two Guys

There’s this guy I’ve known for decades. He started his Christian life the same way I did. Like me, he was an angry 60s rebel who met Jesus on the streets during the Jesus Movement revival. Like me, some great men and women of the faith took an interest in his life and taught him how to walk with Jesus. Like me, he felt God’s call to serve Christ in vocational ministry. Like me, he is sold out to the Lord Jesus as a devoted disciple.

Unlike me, he went straight into ministry after his studies at a university. Unlike me, he did not go to seminary and never studied the Bible under esteemed theologians and professors of Bible. Unlike me, his work for Christ has never centered in a local church, but has been more regional, nationwide, and even global.

Though we are both convinced that we are walking the path the Lord Jesus is leading us on, our convictions about how to actually reach the world for Him could not be more different!

• He’s into the big splash, the hottest trends, and the latest evango-hero personality. I hate that stuff.

• He devotes a lot of his life doing “think tank” stuff around a table with other “think-tank guys,” strategizing and planning. I think that’s a waste of time.

• He’s really interested in politics and current trends in America, and how the church can do something big to turn our culture around. I think that politics too often distracts Christians from the only real hope for America—authentic churches that make disciples that transform their families, neighborhoods, and communities.

• He’s a top-down authoritarian leader; I’m a team processing communal leader.

• He’s the boss; I’m the player-coach.

• He thinks I’m too vulnerable to my team; I think he lives in a dangerous place.

We disagree on a lot of theological issues too!

• He actually practices some gifts of the Holy Spirit I’m not sure are still around.

• He’s not sure Christians can’t lose their salvation; I’m absolutely convinced that eternal life is a free gift that can never be lost.

Oh yeah, he makes a lot more money than I do, doesn’t suffer from a chronic disease, flies away to exotic getaways with his wife several times a year, and his ministry receives huge gifts from extremely wealthy people.

Not that I’m comparing, competing, or envious.

Yes I am.

And so are you, aren’t you?

Two Gardens

There’s a person like this in your life right now. You can’t understand why God gives them opportunities when they disagree with you about so many things. You can’t understand why God doesn’t straighten out their theology when it’s so obvious to you that they are so wrong. And you really have a problem with God giving them such an easy life when you have to struggle like you do.

Here’s what I’ve decided about this guy. You may want to decide the same about the Christian in your life you’re either competing with, comparing yourself to, or envious of.

He has his garden to tend for God, and that is between him and Jesus.

My garden is Church of the Open Door. Jesus wants me to be the best under-gardener I can be in the garden He gave me to tend.

When Peter looked up from the garden of his life and challenged the Lord Jesus about the “easy garden” He gave to John, the Lord told him what we all need to hear, “If I will that he remain (in a life that doesn’t involve as much suffering as yours) till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” –John 21:22

Questions: Who is that person you’re convinced has a “better garden” than you do? Isn’t it time to drop the envy?

Discipleship Minute: HEY JESUS, HAVE YOU SEEN MY SWORD?

Talk about bodacious!

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus told Peter and the disciples that Zechariah 13:7 referred to them personally, and that it was going to happen shortly:

“All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (Mark 14:27-28).

You’d think that should settle it, especially for Peter. The One he properly identified as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” told them that God’s Word would be fulfilled in their lives. He even offered an assuring promise of His coming resurrection and their soon regathering after the crisis.

But not for Peter. No, Peter had something for Jesus. He would prove to Him that Peter, not God was in control of this night. Peter, not God, would determine if Messiah should die. Peter, not God, would decide who would scatter and who wouldn’t.

“Hold on there Jesus, that’s not going to happen. Not on my watch. I will never forsake you. These other weaklings might fold, but not me. I’m Peter, and I don’t need God!”

Really, Peter?

You have to give Peter credit. He tried to deliver on his boast. When the soldiers came into the garden to arrest Jesus, Peter pulled out his little ceremonial sword and cut off one of the soldier’s ears! That was a suicide mission if I ever read about one. A sure-fire way to either die in place or at least go to jail with Jesus!

I imagine Jesus looking at Peter with one of those, “You have got to be kidding me, Peter. Or should I say, ‘Simon,’ your before-you-met-me name. You stand there with your little sword trying to change the mind of God, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the most climactic and decisive event in history?”

But the Scriptures!

After Jesus told Peter to put up his little sword and quit throwing his little “I don’t like what God is doing here” fit, the Lord compassionately healed the poor soldier’s ear. Then he turned to the arresting contingent and says this:

“But the Scriptures must be fulfilled” (Mark 14:49).

Mark makes sure we get the point in the next verse: “Then they all forsook Him and fled.”

Mark rearranged the events of the night Jesus was betrayed to highlight the contrast between the way the disciples led by Peter dealt with the reality that Zechariah 13:7 was being fulfilled and the Lord Jesus’ reaction. The disciples responded by resisting, boasting, and living out of their strengths. Jesus dealt with that same reality by relying on His Father as He watched and prayed.

It was a tough lesson Peter learned that night: You can’t control God, and He doesn’t need you to fix the things you think are broken in your life. Put up your little sword, Simon. Jesus isn’t impressed. The Scriptures must be fulfilled.

Put Up Your Sword!

Maybe it’s time for you to put your little sword back in its sheath. Maybe you’ve been asking Jesus to look at your sword, and hoping He’ll do what you want. Maybe you’re facing your dark night of life in the same way Peter did—by protesting and relying on your own strength.

Before it ends badly for you like it did for Peter—in a heap of tears and repentance—try relying on Jesus, and watching, and praying.

The choice is yours; you can fix and fail, or trust and triumph.

Question: When do you find yourself wanting to pull our your sword of self-protection?

Taking Deep Breaths of Grace

Those of you who were a part of the Thanksgiving Conference at Cannon Beach Conference Center who would like a digital copy of our study together, here’s the overview and the attachments:

Deep Breaths of Grace

Here are some questions you may not want to answer in front of your Christian friends at church:

  • Do you often feel judged and evaluated by other Christians?
  • Are you afraid to let other believers know about the real you because the standard just seems so high and your shortcomings are so many?
  • Do you wonder if God is as petty and fussy as Christians make Him out to be? And if He is, do you wonder what it will be like to stand before Him and be scorned? Or worse, if this whole thing about the believing in Jesus to receive His life, eternal life, is really true?

Tired of trying to measure up?

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