Once, for ALL

Once, for All.

That was the sermon I heard this morning at Fellowship Church in Knoxville. It included a video montage of many famous films based off of David v. Goliath. It also included many laughs provided by Greg Pinkner who has such a child like sense of humor, which is very similar to mine as we both find many things funny, but is so in love with Him that is in almost impossible to miss. Greg took the story about David v. Goliath and turned it into an Easter story that I had never heard before. Placing Jesus in both David and Goliath's images as Jesus, like Goliath is powerful in every way & couldn't lose a fight. I mean He is Jesus so yes that is true. But then there was David. I sat there and thought how could Greg turn this into Jesus rising from the dead. Then my mind was blown indeed after Greg broke it down. David was a teenager who stepped up among the whole army of Israel and said "I'll fight Goliath". Goliath is also at the time 6'6 which is HUGE compared to normal Israelites who stood at 5'1. The meaning behind it, David defeated Goliath as we know slinging a rock into his forehead that would kill him. David won a battle for ALL of Israel for years and years to come. Jesus did that same thing. Jesus willingly chose to die on a Cross for us ALL. It still is hard to imagine One man saying yes the whole time being persecuted for doing right, and dying because He loves us. He just does.

Jesus died Once, for ALL. Rising from the dead and fulfilling scripture which proved that God knew what He was doing. He loves us so much, and my words cannot grasp the greatness of that extravagant love.

Growing up playing sports all my life, my dad was very involved and would attend the majority of my games. The one that sticks out is playing football in high school. Now don't get me wrong I was an animal...my freshman year because I quit after my sophomore year. I'm not ashamed. My dad always stood in the same spot of that stadium and would point towards his watch and I knew he was saying "It's Time". I for some reason loved it because it would get me fired up, thinking it was my turn to step up and make some noise. But that is also a statement that turns into selfishness. Sometimes I use it to think I have to step up and earn His grace & sometimes I do it to think I must simply do good as if my good and bad actions are on a scoreboard. Both are wrong in every way possible. It is such a hindrance in my walk, but I couldn't be more thankful for the Cross. Couldn't be more thankful for Sunday. Jesus rising from the dead shows that we ALL are forgiven.

I also feel like God took that statement, "It's Time" and used it for His good in my life. Sitting around Saturday I had time to rest just like Jesus had rested in the tomb. It was as if God knew with his loving patience, and perfect timing with everything, He said on Sunday, "It's Time". He raised Jesus from the grave to prove His power on Saturday. If God had raised Jesus 15 min after He died, I don't know if His power would seem so powerful. But the fact God is completely omniscient but yet so close, proves that raising Jesus on Sunday is another reason to know He is all powerful and never lets us go. He knows me so personally and knows every single one of us more than we can grasp.

As I sit here dwelling in His grace, I also feel like Peter when Jesus appears to Him after rising from the dead. Peter has went back to fishing, probably because he felt comfortable there & in his mind that is what he knows best. But Jesus had a different plan in mind. I can picture Jesus with a gentle touch on Peter's shoulder saying, "Peter, it's time. Follow me". The words "Follow Me" are so powerful because they don't need explaining. He just wants us to drop everything again and follow Him. Jesus didn't settle and never stopped like we do a lot. Jesus is different. Jesus is also saying to each one of us individually, "It's Time. Follow Me".

Amen.