You know the difference between something that is plain, and something that is extravagant? Plain is good. Taking something that is plain and turning it into extravagant takes time, energy and attention. Consider matza. Do you know what matza is? Sure, it looks like a cracker. Kinda boring. But tasty! Why do some churches use plain, flat, crackers, matza, like this for communion at the Lord’s Table? Where did matza come from?
The idea for matza, unleavened bread, came from God. When God’s people were imprisoned in Egypt, they wanted more than anything to be free! Well, God heard their cry’s for help and sent Moses to lead them out of their prison! But, Moses told them, we gotta go! Now! You can’t delay. They didn’t have time to bake bread. Waiting for wheat and water to mix, blend, and be kneaded into dough, it must then wait for hours as it rises. Waiting. Waiting. Then it has to bake in the oven. More waiting. Since they couldn’t wait, they took their flour and water, rolled it out thin, then baked it in ovens and on hot stones. It didn’t take long. Matza reminds us of how God quickly freed us!
Here at our church, we improved on plain matza. Take a look. We have the tastiest communion bread anywhere, its like Scottish shortbread. We are so excited that God loves us, that Jesus leads us, we upgraded matza to Scottish communion bread!
But there’s more. Because God loves us in extravagant ways, what would matza look like if it was even more extravagant? How about chocolate-dipped Matza?! Yeah. Amazing. Here. Try some.
Remember that God’s love in Christ is extravagant. God doesn’t hold back. Beyond measure. There’s nothing plain about God’s love. You can enjoy these specially dipped matza that Melissa made. After worship, would you help me offer these extravagant matza to everyone else? Great! God’s love: Extravagant! Let’s pray.
Release Your Gifts! Easter Makes it Possible!
The Osborne 1, a popular portable computer at the time, weighed in at 23 lbs.! I still recall the memory of the Rev. Ronald Johnson every week lugging his Compaq portable up flights of stairs and placing it on one of the classroom’s tiny desks. Power cords were everywhere since none of these early “portables” had long-lasting batteries! As a class of ministry trailblazers, we helped each other learn how to use the best available tech and techniques to produce the best ministry outcomes.
In 1983, I referred to the intersection of theology and technology as TheoTech, and I believe the church now more than ever, needs to hang out at that same corner if the Good News of Jesus Christ is to widely seen and heard, and transform the lives of families and our neighborhoods!
Have you seen the new McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish commercial? This humorous ad features a toy mechanical fish mounted on a wall who sings, “Gimme that fish, O Gimme that fish…” announcing the return of the Filet-O-Fish sandwich. Have you ever wondered why the Filet-O-Fish Sandwich is so heavily promoted the same time every year? Hint: The special fish promotion always occurs during the 40 days of Lent. That’s right. It all started in a predominately Catholic neighborhood in Ohio when, in 1959, a McDonald’s franchise owner named Lou Groen noticed plummeting hamburger sales every Lenten season. Instead of just suffering through the 80% drop in sales, he decided to meet the needs of his customers by developing a non-meat alternative. The incredible success in delivering what his community needed is, as they say, history.
Why do so many Biblical hero’s end up in the wilderness? While Adam started in a garden, he and Eve ended up in the wild. Jacob, Moses, Elijah, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul, to name a few, had wilderness experiences, too. Oh, and of course, Jesus! This week we will meet Jesus where the wild things are. And we will discover that God is present with us when resources run out and unexpected challenges make the way unbearable. God provides a way where there is no way. Do you ever feel you’re in the wilderness? Sure, we all do, at least from time to time. This Sunday, find wilderness tools for the Lenten journey. There is a place for you, here! (If you’re new to our church, discover more about what we believe and why we do what we do by visiting a special Welcome First-Time Guests page on our website.)
Mardi Gras is all the buzz this week. From New Orleans to Cape May, the festive celebrations that precedes Lent’s constraints is a lot to take in as groups of people interact at arm’s length along streets and balconies.
On a sunny day in March, just before Easter, a new church was starting. Energy and anticipation were running high. Over two hundred people signed the charter documents and publicly pledged their resources of mind, body, and spirit to achieve the mission of the new congregation. Neighbors got together and agreed that God has challenged them to make a positive difference in their community. They were committed to each other and their town. Denominational leaders, community leaders, supporters, and neighbors crowded the site as ceremonial shovels were placed into the soil. The founding pastor read scripture and preached the first sermon. Afterward, the celebration continued in songs and stories of faith. For years to come, the community was blessed because of the great things God did in their midst!
