Was Jesus Really Married?

I first read the book, The DaVinci Code, back in 2003.  A friend I worked with let me borrow so I could see for myself what all the fuss was about.  I read it-and then promptly dismissed it.  There were so many holes and fabrications in Dan Brown's work that it was laughable.  That is, until the general public started believing it to be serious academic work instead of what it really was-entertainment fiction.  The sad thing about it was Brown started believing he was a serious scholar and attributing factual claims to his book that did not stand up.  Several years later came the movie starring Tom Hanks-I really liked him up to that point.  Just when I thought we had put all these unfounded claims to rest, here it rears back it's ugly head.

Karen King, a Harvard divinity professor, has been given a small fragment of a papyrus written in Coptic from around the 4th century.  It is presumed the fragment is Egyptian in origin, and is translated, "Jesus said to them, my wife.."  Dr. King is now saying this fragment is part of a larger papyrus scroll still yet to be found.  She has dubbed this fragment, "The Gospel of Jesus' Wife."  Well, I am just a simple country preacher.  I don't teach at Harvard.  However, I do have a little common sense.  At least that is what my wife tells me occasionally.  So, let us look at the facts of this "gospel."

• The fragment is the size of a business card.  
• The fragment is from the middle of a larger papyrus scroll-which means you lose the context in which it was written all together.
• The papyrus is dated to the 4th century.  That is more than 400 years after Jesus' death and resurrection.
• The texts we have in the Bible were written much earlier.  Epistles like 1 Corinthians were written around 55-56 A.D.-just a mere 22-25 years after Jesus' passion.  The last gospel written, John, was composed around 90 A.D.
• Karen King has an agenda.  Read this article:
•  http://www.examiner.com/article/karen-king-needs-jesus-to-have-a-wife-so-her-career-can-have-a-future.

The bottom line is:  if you are a Christian, the Bible you have is the most tried, tested, and authenticated source of Jesus' life on the planet.  Don't lose sleep over this.  Have confidence.  Just my take on this whole deal.

Blessings,
Bryan

Overcoming the Dark Side

One of the books I'm reading right now is titled, "The Dark Side of Leadership." It is a very thought provoking book. Basically, it works on the premise that all of us have a dark side to us. Past experiences, our childhood, the way we were raised by our parents, and our inherit personality all contribute to this darker side of our personality. After reading several chapters I thought to myself, "I'm one messed up individual." It's enough to send someone straight to therapy!

After coming in off the ledge (just kidding), I realized how true it is. All of us do have a darker side. Now, I don't mean we are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde type people. However, if we are honest with ourselves, we have a side to us we don't want most people to see. It's the side of us perhaps only our kids and spouse see. The side we would be embarrassed and ashamed of if people caught a glimpse of it.

The good news is our dark sides can be redeemed. The way we do this is by bringing those dark components of our personality into the light of Jesus so they can be healed, restored, and redeemed. This leads to a healthy, whole individually instead of a fragmented one.

Jesus Himself said essentially the same thing in John 3:19-21:

"This, then is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God."

So, bring yourself into the light of Christ and allow Him to expose those things in your heart and mind that need to be healed and redeemed. Don't allow yourself to be divided anymore. Let Christ make you whole.

Expecting Great Things,
Bryan

Pain Versus Discomfort

Yesterday was a great day at New Hope. We had one person come over from death to life and recieve Jesus Christ as thier Savior! That never gets old.

I said last night that what happened Sunday morning should be the norm in the church and not the exception!

If we really believe Jesus is coming back for His Church then we should be telling everybody we can about Jesus!

Sometimes we can fall into the trap of not expecting anything to happen in our services. We can get lulled into a sense of "normalcy" and complancecy. We live with the pain of not seeing God move for so long we get numb to it.

Let me illustrate this. I had been having neck pain for quite some time. I had learned to live with that pain and the limitations that it placed on me. It wasn't until I got tired of living with the pain that I decided to take the step and see a doctor. After a series of examinations, the doctor saw the problem-my neck was jacked up! He said, "Bryan, if we don't get this fixed, you won't have funcitonal movement in your neck in a few years." Talk about scaring me straight!

Well, I have been going to the doctor three times a week for the past few weeks getting adjustments and phyiscal therpay on my neck and back. I'm not going to lie-the first few times it hurt! I thought, "If this is what its going to be, forget this!" But, the doctor told me something that has stuck with me. He said, "Bryan, your neck has been messed up for so long that when I put the bones back where they should be it is going to cause discomfort. Discomfort is part of the healing process."

When the prospect of pain is greater than the discomfort of healing transformation takes place.

God wants more for us and the church than we can ever imagine! Read Acts chapter 2. God wants to use His church to expand the kingdom. Let's be a part of it!

Expecting Great Things,
Pastor Bryan

I love to eat. There, I have confessed it. That's why I love to workout so much-it gives me an excuse to eat. One of my favorite places to eat is Chic-Fil-A. The food is awesome. Whether it is chicken nuggets and waffle fries, or a chicken salad sandwich with carrot & raisin salad, I'm all in when it comes to the cow. However, something else that stands out about Chic-Fil-A is there attitude towards service. Although it is a fast food restaurant, they give service like a fine dining establishment. I rarely have to get refills on my drink-someone almost always comes by and says, "Can I get you a refill?" They always have a smile on their face. Sub-consciously, it makes me want to come back. The more I think about it, the church should have that same kind of attitude towards people. We should create an atmosphere where people are overwhelmed by the kindness and joy over seeing them in our churches. It should make them hunger to come back next week. So let me ask you: What can you do to make your church a more welcoming place to outsiders? You don't have to serve chicken and waffle fries. Just give them the bread of life. I promise you they will want to come back again. I suddenly have a craving for some chicken. Expecting Great Things, Bryan

Coming Home

You have heard the old adage, "There's no place like home." I always knew intellectually that statement was true. However, you have to experience being away from home to know what it truly means.

I spent 8 days in Ecuador doing pre-planning for a mission trip in June. It was a wonderful experience. God moved in amazing ways. I went none stop all week. Needless to say, I got little sleep. In the midst of it all, God revealed to me how precious certain things are that I take for granted. Like drinkable water, air conditioning, ESPN (just thought I would throw that in for fun) and most of all-my family.

Now, don't think that I didn't appreciate my family before I left. Anybody who knows me can tell you my family is priority number one. However, God gave me a new sense of appreciation for my wife and kids. Being away from them increased my love, affection, and appreciation for them. It did the same thing for them.

What I want to say to you is this: don't wait to go to a different continent to tell your family how much they mean to you. Tell them today. Send a text. Make a phone call. One day you won't have the chance. Make the most of your opportunities. Then you can look back on your life with no regrets.

Expecting Great Things,
Bryan

Coming Into the Kingdom

In my devotional reading today I was in Mark 10:13-31. Little kids were clamoring around Jesus. I can't blame them. I bet Jesus was a really fun guy to be around. We adults tend to think of Jesus as a serious minded Messiah, with a scowl on His face perpetually. But while Jesus was indeed serious at times, He also had a softer side-one which was a magnet to kids.

These kids were getting on the disciples nerves. I bet they probably said something like, "Hey you little monsters, get out of here! Don't you know Jesus has more important things to do than play with you bunch of snotty nosed kids!"

Jesus however, had a different plan. The scriptures said He was "indignant" at the disciples. That is a fancy term for saying Jesus was ticked off at them. He then gathered the children around and gave a very important faith lesson.

In v.15 Jesus said, "If anyone does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child they will never enter into it." Wow. That is deep. Jesus is talking about child-like faith. I believe that is why Jesus liked being around kids so much. Because they exhibited the kind of simple trust that is often lacking in adults. I am amazed at my own kids who are seven and three. Sometimes I think they are more spiritual than I am.

Let me give you an assignment if you are feeling a little too grown up. Go to a playground and watch some kids. If you're a grandparent, take your grandchildren out for an afternoon. If you have small kids at home still, just sit and observe them. Watch how they just believe and dream. How they simply trust and don't need proof. How they live each moment to the fullest. And ask God to rekindle that childlike faith in you.

Expecting Great Things,
Bryan

Give Thanks

Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances might be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].
-1 Thess. 5:18

The past ten days have been rough on my family. My daughter Abigail started it off with a stomach virus. Then my son Zachary got the flu. Then this past Friday Abigail got the flu. Then Zachary had a relapse over the weekend and had to go the ER. My wife Deana just got back from the doctor-upper respirtory infection. Can anyone say, "Calgon, take me away-preferably to the other side of the globe?"

That's why I love 1 Thessalonians 5:18. It reminds us that God wants us to have an attitude of thanksgiving in the toughest of times-sick kids and a weekend of waking up at 3am to clean up vomit.

I believe God allows these things in our lives to make us appreciate all the good times we have. My family has been blessed with great health-even though right now its hard to believe! God is still in control and never forsakes us-even when we may think otherwise.

So, no matter what your situation may be today-give thanks to God. If it is a bad day, hang on. Tomorrow will be better.

Expecting Great Things,
Bryan