Holy Week 2014 -Good Friday

Join us each day as we focus on the final week of Jesus' crucifixion.


Good Friday. What a contradiction in terms. How can there be anything good about the beating, torture and crucifixion of of the Son of God?

Christians originally called Jesus' crucifixion day 'God's Friday' but over time the phrase was transformed into 'Good Friday.'

From 9am till 3pm, Jesus hung on the Cross. Mocked by the crowds, ridiculed by the religious leaders, and abandoned by his closest friends; Jesus felt the weight of our sins and the distance of being separated from God's love.

The suffering and agony caused by crucifixion was so intense that a whole new word was created: 'excruciating,' Latin 'of the cross.'

Our sins drove the nails, but it was love that held Him to the cross.

Gay Weddings? Let Them Eat Cake - A different perspective

A recent post on Jonathan’s “Coffee Shop Pastor” blog asked the question, “Should Christians make Gay Wedding Cakes?” and kicked off an email discussion between the author and myself. The answer Jonathan gave was “yes” and his reasons can be found in his February 26th blog by clicking here.

To summarize- Jonathan believes as Christians we should serve others, including those we don’t agree with. I absolutely agree. He also questions whether as Christians we want to live in a society where we can refuse business transactions based on religious beliefs. Here’s where I must respectfully disagree. I believe any business owner should have the right to follow his conscience when deciding whom he will do business with if it violates a deeply held conviction.

Answering the question of whether we want to live in a society where we can refuse to do business with those with whom we disagree, I emphatically say, “It depends.” Do we wish to force those contractors who are morally opposed to abortion to bid on a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic? I think there is a discernible difference between refusing to do business with those we don’t like and refusing to engage in business that goes against our core beliefs.

I also believe we are to follow Christ’s example in standing up for what is right. Examples of this are the times he exposed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day and his throwing the “moneychangers” out of the temple. When we stand up for righteousness in a loving way, we show the world our principles are something we really believe in. Turning down business (especially in today’s economy) is something most people would view as odd if not downright crazy and could illustrate there are things more important than profit- like principles.

Some may refer to the story of Jesus and the adulterous woman to show how he was unwilling to condemn her sinful behavior. While I agree, Jesus defended the woman the most important part of the story is at the end. John 8:11 (NIV)- “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (Italics mine) Jesus made sure to tell the woman she needed to change the direction of her sinful life. I believe making a cake for a Gay Wedding implicitly implies acceptance of the wedding and by extension the behavior.

In closing, I’d like to share a couple of thoughts:

First- I tried to stay away from the political arguments since I am uncomfortable with the way Arizona approached this issue. My belief is that government should stay out of the way unless compelled to act and Arizona wasn’t facing any imminent danger of religious persecution.

Second- I do believe there are certain factions in our society whose objective is to force their belief system down the throats of any and all who may not agree with them- and they’re not Christians. I think it’s more important for these factions to be “oppressed” than it is for them to celebrate a wedding. I know this- if I had someone tell me they didn’t want to bake a cake for my son or daughter’s baptism (because they felt Christianity was silly, oppressive to women, neanderthal or… well pick one) I would simply find a baker who would.

Now that’s a radical idea.

-DJ Haugh

Should Christians Make Gay Wedding Cakes?

Yes.






The debate rages across America. Religious Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are working overtime- rallying their sides to both defend and attack Arizona's SB 1062.

What the bill accomplishes depends on who you ask.

Proponents of the bill claim it would protect business owners from violating their personal religious beliefs. Supporters point to a Colorado baker named Jack Phillips, who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. Phillips refused to create the cake claiming it would infringe on his personal religious views towards homosexuality. This past December a Federal Judge ruled that Phillips broke Colorado's Anti-Discrimination law. Arizona SB 1062 is intended to protect those like Phillips who believe that their religious freedoms are being threatened by activists courts and laws.

Critics of Arizona's bill claim it will increase oppression and discrimination towards those who have long felt marginalized by society and the courts.  The ACLU of Arizona released a statement urging the Governor to veto the bill- fearing that the bill, "Allow[s] private individuals and businesses to use religion to discriminate, sending a message that Arizona is intolerant and unwelcoming." Many businesses like the NFL, Apple, American Airlines and AT&T have threatened to leave Arizona if Governor Brewer signs SB 1062 into law.

I think Christians should make gay wedding cakes.  Here's why....

• Serving our neighbors does not mean agreeing with their personal beliefs.  Just hours before Jesus was arrested, he was in the upper room where he washed his disciples feet. He served every disciple, not just those he liked.  Jesus even aided Judas who had already aligned himself with the corrupt religious leaders to betray Him. 
• Do Christians want a society where we can refuse a business interaction with another person on the sole basis of our personal religious beliefs.  What if an Atheist restaurant owner refused to serve a Christian family because she thought Christianity was foolish? How would Christians respond to a Muslim store owner denying Christians access to their goods because they were buying items for a Youth Group activity?  Would Christians tolerate being denied access to a doctor's office because the doctor disagreed with the patient's personal religious views on the sanctity of life?
• Christians support Anti-Discrimination laws because they reflect the Biblical truth that everyone has value by being created in God's Image. The Biblical view that every person is created in God's Image extends to everyone -even those who may be opposed to the cause of Christ.
• A democratic society protects the rights of minority from the oppression of the majority. Freedom of Religion exists as ways of ensuring that even non-traditional religions have equal protection. Our Bill of Rights must extend to everyone, even those whose lifestyle may exist outside of Biblical parameters.
• Serving those with whom we disagree seems to be a core message of the Cross.  Jesus willingly died for  everyone, even those who were in defiant opposition to Him.  Serving those outside of our religious and moral spheres is at the heart of Christianity.
• Jesus calls us to Love God and to Love Others.  It is rewarding to Love God, and its easy to Love Others (who think, look, act and believe like me in every way).  However, true Christian love is meant to extend to everyone, not just those who believe just like me.
• In January of 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized a 'ministerial exception' from employment discrimination laws.  This ruling allows religious institutions to hire and fire employees without government interference. In a 9-0 unanimous vote, Chief Justice Roberts affirmed, “The Establishment Clause prevents the government from appointing ministers, and the Free Exercise Clause prevents it from interfering with the freedom of religious groups to select their own.”

Jesus parting words before his death are instructive for us today...

'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.'

'Which Jesus Should Die?'

For those who have seen ‘The Passion of the Christ,’ -imagine Jesus standing before Pilate- beaten, bloodied, wearing the crown of thorns.  It's early on Friday morning and Jesus has just endured three different religious trials.  Pilate now sits on the judgment seat, conflicted and disturbed.  He knows that Jesus is innocent and perceptively assess the situation before him as an internal Jewish argument.  He senses he is in an intractable political situation and knows he can’t win.

Pilate devises a plan to appeal to the masses asking them if they would like a prisoner released.  He’s willing to do anything to curry favor and to keep Caesar off his back.  The crowds cry out, ‘Crucify Jesus!’ -but which one?

Matthew’s account of the crucifixion identifies Barabbas’ first name as ‘Jesus.’  While most of the earliest Greek manuscripts omit this name; by the third century it was reintroduced.  The early Church Father Origen explained that the name ‘Jesus’ wasn’t seen fit to be given to such a sinner as Barabbas, and out of respect, it was temporarily stricken from the record.

So imagine Barabbas sitting in jail.  His execution is near.  He hears the shouts, ‘Crucify Jesus.’  He undoubtedly realized his death was imminent.  The guard comes to his cell, turns the key and says to him, ‘You are now free to go. Someone else took your place on the cross. Now get out of here.’

Didn't Jesus do this for each of us?

Washing Judas' Feet

Powerful scenes fill Jesus’ final week: riding into Jerusalem on a colt, cleansing the Temple, cursing the fig tree, the Last Supper, etc...  The event that stands out to me the most is found in John 13; where Jesus washes His disciple’s feet.

Many paintings and images portray this as a sublime and picturesque event.  But look at the text and notice clues to the degradation of this act.  John 13.4 tells us that Jesus took off His outer robe, leaving only His loin cloth.  The image of Jesus in His underwear offends our sensibilities (offending at least our preconceived image of Jesus).

He washes His disciples feet and proceeds to also wash Judas’ feet.  Judas is still present though he will soon leave to betray Jesus.  This is a profound act of love!  Jesus washes the feet of the one who is actively working against Him!  Think about that for a moment.  As humbling as it is to wash another’s feet, I can at least see myself doing it to my family, to those I love.  But when I think about those who I hate, or who hate me and to think about washing their feet, never!  

Jesus does this act of love as both a model of service for us and as a way of showing us what the Cross is all about.  The Cross is God’s humbling and humiliating act of love on behalf of those who could care less.

Who are those in your life who are fighting against you?  Maybe instead of fighting back, we should look for ways to wash their feet....