New Beginnings Lutheran Church

Doesn’t it shock you that the disciples abandon everything to follow Jesus? They left their livelihoods and families to become homeless followers of a vagrant, Jewish rabbi.

Why would anyone reject Jesus? Those who thought they knew him best wouldn’t have him. Why would you reject Jesus? Are you rejecting Jesus or just some version of him in your head that is far from true?

Are you a doubter, a cynic, a skeptic? Are you a seeker, a believer, a follower? Wherever you think yourself in the universe vis-à-vis Jesus, the vagrant rabbi who left the world unable to forget Him, we’re going to revisit the historical records and see Him for the first time again. We begin with the event when Jesus went public.

Who stood before the cross of Jesus? A Roman officer, the religious leaders of the day, the mob, a smattering of Jesus’ followers, and you and me. We were there when they crucified our Lord. We will hear from seven, modern witnesses of the death of Jesus. There is no Easter without Good Friday.

Denial. Anger. Bartering. Depression. Acceptance. “Stages” of grief don’t follow chronological rules. Neither does death. Is loss of a parent normal, but loss of a child not? What about a spouse? When someone dies, it's always a LIFEQUAKE.

Revenge and justice seem closely related, but are they? When we’ve been violated in violent ways, what is the proper response? The aftershock of a LIFEQUAKE can either add insult to injury or initiate healing. Which would you prefer?

Ever experienced unrequited love? How about infidelity? Which one would be worse to you? The answer is, yes! Imagine if both happened? That would shake anyone to the core. That is a LIFEQUAKE! How can someone ever be ok again?

Betrayal and even hostility are not what you should expect from those closest to you, but it happens! How would you feel if you found your identity was stolen? The economic and personal costs would take years to recover. That’s a LIFEQUAKE!

Ever felt part of a family full of conflict, or misbehavior, or maybe neglect or abuse--even all of the above? Welcome to the biblical family. When you are hurt by those who should love you, that’s a LIFEQUAKE! It often takes years to heal.

“Remember your death (memento mori) for dust you are and to dust you shall return.” These timeless words remind us how to really live. We died with Jesus, and so we are given resurrection power to live new lives!

Though challenging, survival is best done as a group. Banding together goes back before the first campfire. Mutual aid groups (MAGs) are intentional communities and when the meltdown happens, you’ll want to be an active member.

Preppers have a basic tool box, and then a variety of other kits (e.g., demolition; cleaning; gardening). We are wise to assess our tool collections. When need arises, we will likely need to pool our resources to get a job done.

Someone said that the best defense is a good offense. Some seem to think this means we need to be as offensive as possible! You might be surprised what has proven most successful in the Christian arsenal over the centuries.

In the best of times we need shelter. Catastrophe or not, real estate’s number one rule, “location, location, location,” remains true. We’ll learn this week that a roof over-head is about more than just protection from the elements.

Without food, your body will not function properly. The average person will not survive ten-days without food, but it seems many like to test their limits. But we do not have to suffer food-insecurity. We are prepared.

Preparedness is necessary for survival and good hygiene is critical. Besides, it feels good to stay clean. Some have said cleanliness is next to godliness, let alone healthiness. How do we wash-up after a collapse?

Uncertain times lay ahead. Access to water is critical. Water is a precious resource, necessary for life. Water makes us alive, defines who we are as well as how we live. Never forget the water!

Are you prepared for when the grid goes down? A burgeoning market of media, books, and preparedness expos have spawned to help you. If you want the best resource available, you’ll want to lean into Sunday’s gathering.

Do you want to see Jesus? I’ll tell you how you can see Him. He is closer than you ever thought. Jesus promised He would never leave us. We too easily miss Jesus ‘cause we’re not looking in the right direction.

How on God’s green earth can I muster the right motive? Can love be demanded? Certainly not. So if giving to another is transactional at worst or mere obedience at best, then what? Maybe giving is just practice for something more important.